Spirited Away - The Game

He can see what Maximilian is trying to do. Very good, let's see if this brings that insolent dimwit back in his place... or if he still needs a punch or two as incentive...

The baker seems rather flummoxed by the question.

"I can't say that I'd know anything about that. Mrs. Tubbs has her own cook, so if there is something she fancies, she can surely have it as easy as anything."

"Miss Elsie Lesser, her lady's maid that is, once told me Mrs. Tubbs is partial to lemon Madeleines," one of the women suggests, but the baker shakes his head.

"I wouldn't even know where to begin with such a thing. Not to mention that there is not a lemon to be found in the village, for love or money. Next thing you'd be asking for pineapples!"

"Maybe you should buy her sugarplums," the youngest girl says dreamily. "If I were feeling low, I am sure to immediately feel better should someone give me some sugarplums. I can't think of a single person who doesn't like them!" A quiet murmur from the rest of the women follows that statement and not even Phoebie voices an argument. Only the baker is not convinced.

"A lady who is used to having lemon whatsits, and baked custards, and apricot ices is not to be impressed with sugarplums. Maybe you should have brought something from London, something from them pat... pats... them French pastry shops, but here..."

The lady who had been first to speak to Maximilian laughs at his objections and shakes her head at the foolishness of men.

"Surely it is the thought that counts, and this young man's thought is very kind indeed! Sugarplums should do very nicely for a lady, and maybe we could do something with some paper and ribbon, maybe dried flowers... Come, sir, let's leave this baker to his baking and see what the grocer has to offer."

"Why, who am I to argue with a lady about the tastes of women," Maximilian says with a deferential gesture to the woman. He turns briefly to the baker again and says, "Thank you very much for your advice and I apologize again for bringing such disorder to a quiet town like this. I will be certain to behave better from now on." There's a cheeky smile on his lips for a moment, then he gives a friendly nod to the rest of the women before turning to follow the woman who offered to lead him to the grocer, throwing a look at Edward to see if he has any objections.

Edward follows Maximilian, casting a last silent glance over his shoulder at the baker - a glance charged with unfinished business.

The village grocery, although nowhere near as opulent as those in London or Bath, proves to be adequately stocked with the small luxuries that make life more tolerable, should one have the money to afford them. There are the coveted sugarplums, also marzipan and various sweetmeats. The lady who has offered to accompany Maximilian and Edward on their mission (and who introduces herself as Mrs. Fowler) enthusiastically assists with the choice. It is to be suspected that she is picking the items that are to her own liking, but since there is no telling which particular delicacies are favoured by Mrs. Tubbs, there is not much place for objection. With the help of some wrapping paper and skillfully applied pieces of ribbon, the investigators end up with quite the pleasing little package.

"There. This is bound to cheer a lady up, a small bundle of kindness, if I say so myself. I suppose you would be on your way now to deliver it, and I need to return to my own chores. Would you mind sending my best wishes to Miss Lesser?" She directs her question to Edward, who has already identified himself as a servant and as such would not be improper to converse with Mrs. Tubbs's lady's maid.

Observing the proceedings led by Mrs Fowler in the grocery store does wonders to Edward's mood, that gradually turns from belligerant to amused.

He responds with a smile and a bow of his head to the woman's request, "I most definitely shall, Mrs. Fowler. We thank you for your assistance in this delicate matter."

"This is far more than I had in mind." Maximilian doesn't seem upset by this, more amused. He watches as Mrs. Fowler and Edward quickly exchange some words about the woman's friend, then he asks Edward to pay. "Your assistance has been invaluable, Mrs. Fowler," he tells the woman then. "Now, you will likely think me a superstitious fool for asking, but your friend in front of the bakery earlier mentioned something about a fairy in relation to Mr. Tubbs' disappearance, his servant I believe. Was that just the folly of a young mind speaking or is that a common rumor spoken in these parts?"

"Not 'common rumor', no! Common knowledge." Mrs. Fowler corrects him. "Jack Starhouse was a fairy, it was as plain as day! Everyone knew that, and Mr. Tubbs too, and he took special pride in it. And we knew some mischief was about to happen, but... Oh, but I shouldn't gossip," the lady says, despite the unconstrained pleasure with which she had been doing it until now. "It really isn't for me to talk about other people's private business. Maybe Elsie Lesser could tell you more, she resides in the house after all."

"How fascinating," Maximilian replies, pretending like this was all news to him. "And here I was thinking there were no fairies in England. It is the belief that's commonly held in London, and what I have heard Mr. Norrell claims as well. One would think that if a fairy was just living so openly among the people here, a powerful magician like him would have noticed it before now."

"Oh, I wouldn't know about that!" She thinks silently for a moment. "Maybe it is the weather in London which doesn't agree with them. It stands to reason that fairies would prefer the country air. What would the gentlemen in the city know? Mr. Norrell might be a very learned magician, but clearly he should go out more."

"London is also a very full city," Maximilian adds. "There just wouldn't be any room for something like a fairy road to suddenly appear. Do you have any of those in these parts? I assume this Mr. Starhouse must have come from somewhere."

he observes the woman, who seems to truly believe what she is saying.

A conversation with this Miss Lesser seems in order, he thinks. Luckily this Fowler woman gave me a good excuse to approach her.

Mrs. Fowler is a little surprised by the question about the fairy roads and admits that has not really heard of any in the area.

"But it stands to reason there would be some. Places people avoid without knowing why, strange stones and so on. There are some hedges north of the fields that always make me uneasy with how gate-like they look when in full leaf. And that disused road above Swithun farm. Oh, and... I am not quite certain, it must have been before my time, but I think I've heard that there was an old road long ago which got dug up when they made the canal. I think the canal lays straight on top of it, or very nearly, for at least two miles. There is a lock and a bridge over that way," she points vaguely to the north-east. "Since you are going to the big house, you would have to cross it."

Maxwell and Edward are not intimately familiar with the canal system which connects Leeds to Manchester and Liverpool and allows the transportation of goods across the country, but it is not surprising that an offshoot of some canal is passing through the village, or near it.

"That canal does sound rather interesting," Maximilian comments. "Though if it is a fairy road, it must be quite annoying to use, unless you don't mind getting wet." He gives a shrug, then says, "But that is not why we are here." It's a lie, of course. They are here for all matters fairy, though Mrs. Fowler doesn't need to know that. Maximilian just hopes that Edward remembers the details for them later. "Your assistance has been invaluable, Mrs. Fowler," the young gentleman tells her. "But I think it is time we make our way to the Tubbs' estate. We do not want to arrive inconveniently late."

Hmm... no shortage of strange places around here, by the sound of it. The folks seem quite gullible, we must see past the superstitions, to get to the truth... he thinks as Mrs Fowler lists the many oddities.

He nods his head with a smile, as they take their leave from Mrs Fowler.

Following Mrs. Fowler's directions, the two investigators take the road which leads them out of the village. Soon enough they reach the canal; from atop of the fine stone bridge which straddles it they can see the locks, maybe half a mile away, which allow boats to go up and down the hill. They can make out the roof of a small shack as well, probably the dwelling of the lock keeper, but there is no smoke nor any other sign of life. Following the road across the canal, the arable land gives way to pastures and then a forest. It is not particularly thick or ancient, but there is a certain wildness to it. Apparently it has not fallen victim to landscaping and the new fashion for lawns and straight lanes through coiffeured parks; and when the Tubbs residence emerges through the trees it is not hard to imagine that a fairy would favour it as a home.

Most of the people Maximilian and Edward had spoken to so far had referred to it as "the great house" or "the big house". Cormac had even called it "the castle" while giving them directions. The house is by no means a "castle" but there certainly is a lot to it which turns the mind towards more romantic times of knights, fair maidens and magical beings. It is old, probably from the time of the Tudor kings, with a ground floor of stone and beautiful timber-framed upper stories, white-plastered walls and steep roofs. The front yard is paved with a few garden beds on each side, currently occupied by unkempt thorny bushes. A stone wall with a big gate begins at the east side of the house and suggests a much more extensive inner yard with stables and other out buildings. The door of the house itself is narrow but very tall, made of ancient oak and studded with iron, with a heavy ornate knocker and a tiny lattice window.

Maximilian admires the building as they approach it. His father certainly has a couple of nice homes, but a country home like this would be a nice addition. But maybe somewhere where the nights aren't quite as creepy and noblemen are not known to disappear.
He approaches the door and gives a loud, steady knock to draw the attention of someone inside.

Edward waits by the door, one step behind his master.
He takes in the details of the unusual architecture.

Whoever had this built must have had a flair for the picturesque... Wonder how many servants it takes to upkeep a place like this...

His eyes go to the windows immediately above them, as if to catch the presence of onlookers.