Spirited Away - The Game

Fiona is not best pleased that her word is not being taken as gospel.

"Am I not telling you! Did I not speak to Mrs. Plaice at the bakery, and did she not hear it from Elsie Lesser, who is Mrs. Tubbs's own maid! And did she not say that Mrs. Tubbs is taken to bed with worry and that an old aunt is coming to care for her, the poor creature!" Maximilian is getting the impression that none of those are real questions and that answering them, especially in the negative, would not be the most wise course of action. "And is it not known throughout the village and perhaps as far as Leeds that Jack Starhouse is a fairy-child and a warlock and a confirmed horse-witch!"

Edward catches the tail of her lecture as he enters the house, and when Fiona hears the door close behind him, she suddenly diminishes, remembering she is not talking to a misbehaving child but to a paying customer.

"That must be your man, no doubt. I shall see to that breakfast now. I am busy woman, you know, I can't be sitting around answering questions all day." And with that she hurries down the stairs, passing Edward and informing him that "your lordship" is "upstairs and safe as a penny in a pocket".

"He's a bit old to be my man," Maximilian replies, counting on Fiona not understanding the quip and brushing it off. He then thanks her as she heads downstairs and he takes a seat as he waits for Edward to join him. Once the servant arrives, Maximilian gestures to an empty seat beside him. "The horses are well-cared for?"

Edward nods at the woman as they cross on the stairs. "And that's just how we like it. Thank you kindly."

Once upstairs, he sits with Maximilian, finding him in the gloomy room by the candles.
"Yes, the horses are sheltered and fed, Mila-... I mean, Sir."

"It is rather dark in here," Maximilian replies with a playful smirk on his lips. "I suppose I can forgive you for mistaking me for my sister in the gloom." He chuckles before growing more serious. "I got some information out of our hostess." His voice is quiet now, his body leaned towards Edward. This isn't something Fiona should overhear. "She is convinced Mr. Tubbs has disappeared, but I think it might not be the worst idea to pay a visit to his estate before anything else. She also believes his coachman is responsible. And that he might be something other than a good Christian Englishman."

"Yes, Mr Cormac mentioned something along the same lines, in the stables. Also added that Tubbs' wife is probably in terrible grief, alone in the house... We should be able to talk to her, at least."

He looks at the surroundings , leaning back in the chair, more comfortable than the coach driver's bench after their journey.
" It sounds like Tubbs owns this land, possibly the inn itself, and the inn folks were hoping to get a renewed lease from the man. "

"That matches what I heard," Maximilian confirms. "Oh, if someone asks, I told our hostess that Tubbs is an acquaintance of my father. Just so you don't contradict that." He looks towards the stairs and says, "I believe now we should eat, sleep and then pay a visit to the Tubbs estate and Mrs. Tubbs in the evening."

Very soon Ms. Fiona - or Mrs., she never introduces herself as either - returns with a bountiful breakfast. Thick slices of yesterday's bread toasted over a fire, butter, poached eggs, fried bacon, cold ham, and all of it topped with hot toddy which warms the travelers to the tips of their toes. Cormac in the meantime is busy bringing their luggage up the stairs, carrying the chest and bags over his shoulder with ease; also starting the fire in the public room. He is always accompanied by Fiona's chiding and it is curious to hear how many words there are in the English language to accuse someone of laziness. It becomes clear soon enough that the mistress of the house cannot be in earnest. Cormac gives the impression of a hard-working man and does not appear to take Fiona's words to heart nor resent them in any way.

There are only three rooms on the second floor, and small as they are, they seem even smaller as they are mostly occupied by the big beds - two in each of them - leaving space only for a small washstand and a dresser, the latter even partially obscuring the window in Edward's room. It is usual for travelers to rest two, or even three to a bed without complaint, but with Little Barnsthorpe not being a particularly fashionable destination, nor being situated on any of the major thoroughfares, Maximilian and Edward may luxuriate in their privacy, as long as their purse strings are not closed too tight. There is no actual fireplace in the rooms, but as the kitchen chimney passes through the shared wall, they feel comfortable enough.

"It is mutton for dinner," Fiona informs them before leaving them to their rest. "You can holler for Cormac should you be needing anything, and God be willing, he won't be sitting on his ears, the feckless goat. How long would you be staying at all, if you don't mind me asking?"

Edward is ravenous, and feasts on the simple breakfast as if it was the best meal in his life. The eggs and cured meats taste delicious -whether by the sheer effect of hunger, or by their good quality, he could not tell.
He follows the dynamic between Fiona and Cormac as he eats, and is grateful the man is bringing the luggage to their rooms, something he thought to do next.

Sipping the heart-warming toddy, he sits back for a moment before asking Maximilian, "is there anything else Sir would require of me, or can I be excused?..."

Max also digs into the food as soon as it is served, though his table manners are a bit more refined. He has been raised as a lady, after all, and that kind of upbringing isn't easily shaken. At Edward's question, he says, "I think we both will require some rest, so yes, you may be excused. I will go to bed in a minute as well." He takes another moment to think, then adds, "Perhaps you can think some about how we will approach Mrs. Tubbs this evening. I will do the same. Between us, there will have to be one good idea, I reckon."

Edward nods in acknowledgement and leaves the table.

Once in the small, bed-besieged room, he will quickly check his possessions.
Cormac seems honest, but... One never knows...

He undresses and refreshes, then attends to his cloak and boots, removing the worst of the mud splashes to make them once again presentable.
Luckily, Miss Adelaide's should not be muddy, having travelled inside the carriage.

Once his chore finished, he gets into bed and tries to catch some rest.

Maximilian enters his room and closes the door behind himself. He finds his suitcase lying on one of the beds and quickly opens it to make sure it hasn't been disturbed. There's some necessities in there, including his dress and jewelry, but it seems like that allegedly lazy man, whatever his name was, did not allow himself a peek inside, at least as far as he could tell. He undresses and changes into a nightgown that's comfortable but feels somewhat weird after the suit. He lays out his suit neatly on the bed to prevent folds, then lies down in the other, still free, bed, ready to catch some sleep.

They are both awakened by the light of the autumn sun streaming through the windows. It is a very different world outside, the fog has lifted, revealing the quiet, calm countryside. Despite the frosty mornings, some of the trees still keep their foliage and it shines golden in the sunlight. The village of Little Barnsthorpe is a short walk down the road and the first houses are visible from the rooms of the inn - low stone houses with tile roofs, painted windows and smoking chimneys. From a distance it seems like there is a certain laziness in the air. It can't be past noon yet, but the days are getting shorter and shorter and in a few hours the autumn sun will be setting.

For Edward and Maximilian however, the day has just began. Refreshed from their rest, it is time they busy themselves with their task.

Edward hastens to wash and get dressed, feeling much restored by the food and sleep.
The absence of mist in the view from his window is like lifting a weight from his heart. In the daylight, this place doesn't seem so god-forsaken, and superstitious thoughts don't surface so easily in a man's mind.

He goes to check Miss Adelaide's room, to see if she left her boots or other outside the door for him to take care of. In the absence of any immediate chores, he tries a discreet knock.
"Sir? Shall I prepare the carriage? Or would you prefer to ride, or walk? "

Maximilian opens the door for Edward. He's not yet wearing his jacket, but otherwise, he is fully dressed. "If it is not too far, perhaps a walk," he suggests. "It would perhaps give us a chance to meet some of the local people on the way, maybe overhear some rumors. Unless you think we would be better off in the coach."

"As you wish. Walking will do us good, and I'm sure Endymion and Selene will enjoy the rest, too."

He bows his head, steps away. "I will be downstairs."

Maximilian thanks Edward, then closes the door again and finishes preparing for the day. Half an hour later, he joins his servant downstairs. "I do hope that it will not be quite as cold outside as it was last night," he says. "But I am ready to go."

Edward tries to find Cormac to ask directions to the Tubbs' residence, to pay visit to Mrs Tubbs in her hour of despair, and to start looking into this baffling disappearance.

Cormac is more than happy to direct them, he even points out the house itself - beyond the village, up on a hill, hidden among the trees but the roofs are visible even from this distance. It is difficult to tell, but Edward can roughly estimate that it would take less than an hour of walking if they don't tarry on their way, and the weather is pleasant enough. It would take them longer if they stop at the village, but even then they would be able to reach the Tubbs residence long before sundown. With some luck they might even get invited to tea.

"I guess we will walk through the village on our way to the Tubbs house," he says setting off at a good pace, "we shall see if we meet any locals on the way that you might want to talk to..."

Out of habit, he memorises landmarks and details along their route, particularly at junctions and turns.