Spirited Away - The Game

"And what makes you so certain that he is truly gone?" Maximilian asks, throwing a brief side glance to Amberly before focusing on Mrs. Tubbs again. "Is it something you saw on your walk in the courtyard, the morning he disappeared?"

Meanwhile Edward retreats from the kitchen in good, silent order. He clearly outstayed his welcome, with his silly questions.

He goes to check on the horses, to make sure they are sheltered and fed. He stays in the stables observing the help going about their day, while working on the horses, aware that idle hands are not seen in a good light, around here.

He waits for someone to show a disposiiton to talk, while grooming Selene and Endymion...

Edward

Tending to the horses is not work that requires some particular concentration. Selene and Endymion know Edward well and are quiet and obedient. Admiral and Titus - the Tubbs pair of powerful geldings - make some sounds of discontent. While not neglected, they are obviously jealous of the attention the newcomers are receiving. Maybe they even lament the absence of Starhouse, their former caretaker.

Occupied with the animals, for some time the only person Edward notices coming and going through the courtyard is the tall scullery maid, on errands for the cook. She has the awkward, timid look of someone who is aware of their place on the bottommost rung of the ladder and who should not be seen or heard, yet at the same time has been cursed with an unusual build which catches the eye. It is obvious to Edward through previous experience that talking to such a person needs to be done with care - even if the girl knows something fear and loyalty in equal measure would likely stop her from divulging any useful information.

---

Maximilian

"I do not go for walks in the courtyard!" It seems a silly thing to take offence at. And indeed it is - Maximilian can tell that Mrs. Tubbs is making an attempt to avoid answering the question; however even to her the deflection sounds weak. "Upon my soul, it is the last time I saw him. I..." Tears are starting to fill her eyes, and she blinks them away. "There is nothing else I can say. Please, leave me. I am so very tired."

Amberly is looking at her, his earlier jovial demeanor gone. He is biting his tongue and thinking, and his look is very much like the look he had been giving Maximilian the previous evening. In the end he sighs and turns to the magician:

"You heard the lady, Mr. Calstock. She needs her rest."

Maximilian hesitates. This might get him kicked out, but would they just be spinning their wheels if he relents?

He looks at Amberly, an apologetic look on his face, then turns back to Mrs. Tubbs. "If it was not a walk, then what was it that brought you out into the courtyard that morning?"

Edward judges that an approach of the scullery maid would be out of step. A complete stranger, in an unchaperoned situation, would surely upset her, if not scare her out right.

He simply smiles at her with a nod of his head, without interrupting her chores.

He focuses on the horses once more, and rewards the jealous house geldings with some pats on the neck too.
"Wish you could tell me about Starhouse, you handsome fellows," he whispers at them.

Edward
The animals snort and push at his hand with their big gentle heads, and they stomp impatiently in place. It is likely they have not been properly exercised for days, especially if they've been left to the care of Henry, who - although well meaning enough - seems to struggle even with his regular duties.

All the brushing and grooming and playful displays of affection are about to leave Edward covered in horse smells and hair. As he and his master are often on the road, he is used to making himself presentable quickly and under difficult conditions; but if one's primary duties are connected to the animals and one is not expected to appear in front of polite society, it is likely that one would not be so fastidious and would carry those smells constantly about oneself. It is often the case that such a person is not allowed inside the main house, even in the servant's quarters. Supposing such had been the case with Starhouse it follows that his lodgings, such as they were, must have been somewhere in the out buildings, the barn or a hayloft being the most probable places.

---

Maximilian

Mrs. Tubbs looks at Maximilian in utter astonishment. There are unwritten rules by which her world moves and one of them states that if a lady claims indisposition, clearly she is to be excused. Clearly Mr. Calstock did not just propose to keep interrogating her after she had invoked her infirm condition, and in her bedchamber no less. And clearly since this did not just occur, she is under no obligation to respond.

"Thank you for your attention, Dr. Amberly. I would be much obliged if you see Mr. Calstock out. I know how demanding my dear aunt can be, the servants must have their hands full."

"Of course. Mr. Calstock?" The physician opens the door and holds it open. Something in his look suggests that should Mr. Calstock dally any further, Mr. Calstock would be taken out by the ear like a schoolboy.

He looks at the Tubbs Horses, once in the care of Starhouse. His train of thought goes from horse grooming, to horse smells, to where Starhouse could have been lodging. Ha, in a way you DID tell me, my equine friends...

Closing the stables behind him, he walks to the water fountain to wash his hands and face, while looking at the varoius possibilities. He decides to walk along the perimeter of the outbuildings, to peek inside each one for signs that someone could have lived in them.

Maximilian hesitates only a moment longer. It seems even persistence won't gain him anything more here. "Perhaps we will speak again when you are feeling less tired and your memory is less hazy, my lady," he says, giving a bow. He then steps out of the room through the door held open by Amberly, bracing himself for a dressing down by the doctor.

Edward
It doesn't take long for Edward to find what he is looking for. Above the stable itself there is a hayloft - it is not immediately obvious since the access there is closed by a wooden cover, but anyone who has been around horses would expect there to be a convenient way for to bring the animals their food. It is also the warmest and driest of the outbuildings and if one is not too particular about their neighbours (although in many cases horses make much more agreeable neighbours than people) it is a comfortable enough lodging.

Starhouse has created himself a little den near one of the sturdy oak columns which support the roof. The furnishings consist of a straw mattress covered with coarse linen, some equally rough blankets and a small chest which also serves as a table. A coachman's livery and an oilskin raincoat hang on a peg, and by the bed are placed a pair of boots.

---

Maximilian
Out on the landing, Amberly turns to the young magician. His desire clearly is to give him an earful, but whether fearful that they are not completely out of Mrs. Tubbs's hearing or simply because he is at a loss for words, he makes no sound. Instead he makes several agitated gestures with his hands which are difficult to interpret and which make him look like a particularly stoup bird struggling to take flight; in the end he sighs and lets his limbs fall at his sides.

"Well..." he begins. "Her colours are nailed to the mast now. Nothing much we can do about it at present. I thought I gave you a clear indication that persisting in your line of questioning would be unwise! And now you have been ejected from the house. I am very curious to hear what do you propose to do from here forward."

A-ha. So you WERE fond of these horses, Mr Starhouse. Let's see what we have here...

"You're curious?" Maximilian asks, keeping his voice low so that Mrs. Tubbs would definitely not be able to overhear. "And here I was thinking you would not care, Doctor." He flashes the man a smile, then says conspiratorially, "How likely do you find it that Mrs. Tubbs might soon be inclined to leave her room?"

Edward

A further inspection reveals nothing in the nature of hastily scribbled notes, curious heirlooms, secret letters or any other convenient clues. The rather mundane items Edward does find however, raise a question. Why would Starhouse leave them behind? The boots and coat are worn but of good quality; the same goes for the several other items of clothing stored in the chest. There is also a small lantern, a pewter plate and spoon, a comb - not great treasures, but useful non the less. They have all been cleaned (not quite to Edward's satisfaction, but as well as it can be expected from a coachman) and put away with care, as if someone - probably Starhouse himself - has arranged them to be found.

---

Maximilian

The doctor thinks for a moment. "It is hard to tell. As her physician, of course, I might be able to influence her on that point. I might even be able to prevent her from speaking with her aunt - but not for long. And I can't forbid her looking out of the window, which she might at this very moment be doing, waiting to see you leave as per her wishes."

"Well, then isn't it convenient that Mr. Broadhurst and I were planning a trip today anyway. I should find him and let him know we are leaving the property now." He pauses, then asks more quietly, "Now, if we were to perhaps return at a later time, how inclined would you be to inform the lady of this. Or to pass on the information of us no longer being welcome here to any of the staff, or to Mrs. M?"

hmmm... Mr Starhouse... why have you left barefoot? And if you planned to leave, why not hide these possessions better? Time to have a chat with your Mistress - or rather Master, today...

Careful to leave everything as he has found, Edward descends the ladder, closing the hayloft access with its wooden cover.
He dusts off his clothes from bits of hay.

Then, with a last affectionate stroke to Endymion and Selene he leaves the stables and heads for the house, looking for Maximilian.

Maximilian

"I take it Mr. Starhouse's magical origins have not been disproven to your satisfaction." Amberly looks up the stairs, as if able to regard Mrs. Tubbs through walls and doors. The lady had mentioned Mr. Tubbs and the surgeon being friends, and it is clear that he too is displeased with her unwillingness to cooperate. "Let us assist each other then. I wish to know what happened to my friend; but out of respect for him and for the love he bears this lady, I will not have her unduly distressed. That she knows something - that is clear as day, but it has frightened her. I might be able to coax her to open up to me, but it will be slow doing, especially after the mess you made of it just now." The doctor gives Maximilian another reproachful look. "I will attempt to obscure your further involvement but I entreat you to be more careful! You may also confide in Henry, the young footman. He is not the brightest, but his heart is in the right place. Having the maid on our side would be invaluable, but I don't know her so well. There might be something we could offer her to keep her from spoiling our little conspiracy."

"I believe nothing has been proven so far," Maximilian says. "I would guess at this point that there is nothing magical about this appearance, but that is unchanged from when I arrived here." A mischievous smile appears on his lips at the mention of their conspiracy. "If it is a conspiracy, I am glad you and I are on the same side of it, Doctor. You seem a hard man to conspire against." A bit more seriously, he says, "I will speak with Mr. Broadhurst about this change in situation and we will leave the estate as soon as we can." He finishes the sentence by silently mouthing the words 'For now.'

Edward and Maximilian regroup in private.

Edward reports about Mr Tubbs' strange overgrown garden just past the courtyard, that he called his Faerie Forest. And of Starhouse's hay loft lodgings, including the boots and items he left behind.

When he hears about the mistress of the house cutting their welcome short, he raises his eyebrows.
"Well... It would be wise to comply, perhaps. She will be monitoring that we do. I can get the coach and horses ready. The folks at that inn will be happy to see us back. I will fetch your trunk."

Turning to leave, he stops at the door. "Maybe we can stop to visit that lock-keeper, on the way."

"I do not believe we are done with this place," Maximilian says. "And the good doctor seems inclined to help us out. He wants to know what happened here as much as we do. But perhaps you are right that we should take our belongings to the inn again. But let us do that first. We should keep with our schedule of visiting the lockkeeper in the afternoon, and with a bottle of spirit as a gift."