Part 18 Balloon (NaNoWriMo effort, ongoing,unedited, chockful of mistakes!)

Chapter 18

By breakfast the next day the plan had been set, although, truth be told, it was not too different from the initial plan. The two girls and Moto would take the sedan up to the country house, land on the roof at night, and make their way in to take Cogsworth. The General told Mary he wished that she had gotten an idea about how many servants and other people were in the house, including perhaps guards. Based on what Deering’s maid had told them, they figured on no more than a dozen in the entire house.

Once or more precisely, if, they found Cogsworth, they would meet the General and the Colonel down the road from the house. Then, all six of them would alight for the trip to the Caribbean. It would be crowded, and perhaps somewhat dangerous, but they would have to get away quickly, as Iggelsdin and his men would surely be after them as fast as possible.

The four of them spent the next few days carefully gather and packing supplies while Moto went over every inch of the sedan, making sure it was ready for the long journey south. They would have to pack lightly so they could take extra fuel for the propeller engine. The Colonel pointed out that there were several British places in the Caribbean, from Jamaica down to St Lucia or even out to Barbados that could resupply them for the return.

On the last morning Mary brought her fairly small suitcase to the Littlefield’s house and up to Liza’s room.

“Is that all then” Liza asked, eying the small case suspiciously.

“Yes.” Mary said and sat down in one of the large chairs. She pulled a small notepad from a pocket on her pants.

“What’s all in it? It feels heavy, Moto won’t like it.”

“Heavy? Goodness you should lift some of the cases mother packs just to go for the weekend to a hunt. If you must know it does have two volumes of  xxxxx’s plant identification series, the Caribbean and South America.”

“And clothes?”

“Some. I must say it is marvelous to just be taking some blouses and pants. Can you imagine if we had to pack full blown gowns?”

Liza laughed. “Well, Grandfather and I had an awful row last night on that very topic. He feels as if we should each take something suitable, in case we meet a King or something. Luckily Moto was there and he strictly forbid myself, or you, from taking anything but the most necessary clothing. But eh books…”

“If I am to be the company’s botanist I must have reference material.”

“The what’s what?” Liza said with a smile.

“I have decided that will be my role.” Mary said earnestly, but then smiled too. “Oh, look Liza, I feel so inadequate around you, and Moto for that matter. I wouldn’t know my elbow from a balloon. Why I nearly wrecked it when I tried to steer it.”

“Through no fault of your now, Moto should have been on the lookout.”

“Regardless, I want to be of service, so I have brought the book to have them on hand. I am hoping to add some species to the book in my travels.”

“You very well might, Grandfather is sure that the island we are headed for must be uncharted, possibly even undiscovered, or else someone would have figured out the cloud by now.”

“Good point. Perhaps I should get the North American volume too then?”

Liza sat down next to Mary’s chair.

“Dearest Mary, you act as if this is the only time in life you’ll ever get to explore or see new things!”

“But what if it is Liza? Mother is so keen to marry me off…”

“And what of it? Marriage isn’t death!”

“Isn’t it? Mother spends her days fussing over clothes and seating charts and which flowers to have in which hallway…”

Liza put her hand on Mary’s cheek.” You, Miss Mary, are not your mother. Her fate is not your destiny.” Liza stood up.

“You’ll see Mary. We’ll have a grand adventure. And who knows perhaps you will meet a tribesman of the Caribbean and fall madly in love with him. That should set your mother straight!”

“Oh Liza, there’re no tribesmen in the Caribbean, or even Indians for that matter, they were killed off centuries ago.”

“Really? Sounds like a terribly sad,strange place.”

“Perhaps. I guess we’ll see.”

That evening, after the wind had died, they gathered on the rooftop and loaded up the sedan. Moto expertly guided the balloon up over the rooftops of London and they were soon on their way up north to the Inggelsdin’s house.

Night fell on the way and by the time they landed at the rendezvous spot about a mile away from the great house the stars were out.

The small group, Liza, Mary, Moto, the General and the Colonel, worked quickly to set up a tent in the empty field. The plan was to retrieve Cogsworth and bring him back to the field. Then the next day they would lift off and begin their trip down to the Caribbean, under the guidance of Cogsworth.

Once the small encampment was set up they all climbed back into the sedan.

“Do we have everything, lamps? Everyone have their knife?”

“Yes Liza, we’re fine!” Mary said smiling. Moto nodded but did not say anything.

“Are you alright Moto?”

“Yes Liza, I am fine, I am getting into my fighting character now. I am fearful that things will not go so smoothly.”

“Well, yes, but that Mrs. Crumple told us there were very few people in the house now. Right Mary?” Mary nodded.

“There are few of us as well.” Moto said seriously. Liza did not know what to say to that so she instead doubled checked what she had on her. All three of them were dressed in matching black pants and black sweaters. Despite Moto’s initial objection, they were wearing black ballet slippers as well. Moto had wanted boots, he said in case they had to run across rough ground, but Liza pointed out that boots would make noise in the quiet house.

Each of them also had a small focused beam lamp, one of Liza’s design, that would allow them to shine a beam of light in front of them without causing the entire area to light up. They also had decided that each of them would have a large knife. This was Moto’s idea, he had shown them the multiple ways they could use it- to break window panes, to jimmy locks and, in a session when the General was out, how to use it to defend themselves against attackers. They also carried with them shorts lengths of rope. This had been Liza’s idea, in case they had to tie anyone up. Moto had suggested they just knock the person on the head instead, but Mary had found that too distressing.

Nevertheless Mary had absorbed all of these ideas and lessons with a rapacity that surprised even her.

After a few moments in the air they came up over a hill and saw beneath them the estate house. As none in the sedan had seen it before they were taken aback by the size of it. They had known it would be big, but it seemed immense laid out below underneath the pale moonlight. It was built somewhat like a castle, with four corners that each had a large round turret. Each side of the brownstone square house was about 300 yards long. The house was, based on the windows, four stories tall. It looked more like a mid-London bank’s building than a home.

From the air they could see very few lights on. The front entryway had gaslights and there was at least one light from a room nearby the front. Moto pointed to it and told them it was likely a night watchman’s room.

“With luck that’ll be the only person up. I wager there is no guard on Mr. Cogsworth room as it will be locked.”

“Will you be able to work the lock?” Liza asked.

“I will have too, or else break the door down.”

“We can’t have that, the house will wake up.”

“Yes, well, that is why the plan is to pick the lock.” Moto said grimly.

Part 17 Balloons (NaNoWriMo workin progress, lots of editing errors etc....)

17

 

The next morning Mary and Pruella made their escape as early as was possible. Since they had a name, Mary decided to take matters into her own hands and make contact with Ms. Crumple as soon as she could. There was no use going all the way back to London, she told herself. Besides which, if she did then the Iggelsdins might move Cogsworth, or worse.

She and Pruella devised a plan that would allow them to talk to Ms. Crumple without being found out. Mary figured if she walked up to the house and asked to speak to the woman, word would get back very soon. The two decided that even if Pruella did, it would seem so odd and out of place, to have a total stranger call on one of the staff, that Mr. Iggelsdin would be notified.

 

Instead they hired a car to drive them to the village nearest the Iggelsdin house. There they found a boy and gave him a note to take to the house and give to Ms. Crumple. The plan was very simple. The note told her that she had a letter to sign for down in the village. Mary hoped that Ms. Crumple would be able to come down at once.

They would not wait for her at the Post Office. Neither Mary nor Pruella had ever laid eyes on the woman after all, so they decide they would camp out some ways down the road from the house. Pirelli assured Mary that the maid would walk down to retrieve the letter and not ride, although Mary was not sure.

It was several hours before, just as Pruella predicted; they saw a small figure coming down the road from the house.

Pruella walked up to the woman, who seemed startled to see her.

“Are you Crumple” Pruella said. The woman’s face showed skepticism.

“What if I am?”

“Sunny Crumple?”

“What of it?”

“My mistress wants a word with you, under that tree. I swear it.” Pruella pointed to Mary, who smiled.

“What she want then?” Ms. Crumple asked, incredulous.

“Just to ask you a question… or two. There’s a fiver in it for you.”

“Go on” Ms. Crumple began to walk away. “I don’t know what you want.”

“Ms. Crumple” Mary yelled out, still smiling. “Please stop, I only want to ask you a question. And yes, I’ll make it worth your while.”

Ms. Crumple stopped and looked. She took a few steps closer but stayed on the road, as if she thought doing so would protect her.

“Go on then miss, ask me a question.”

Mary sighed, she did not want to stand there yelling at the woman, what if others were nearby. She took a few steps closer. Ms. Crumple pulled her purse tight to her body even though Mary was still a few yards away.

“Please Ms. Crumple, no one is going to do anything to you. I just wanted to ask you a question.”

“Ask from there then, right?”

“Very well. I represent, uhm some parties who are interested in the house you work in.”

Ms. Crumple straightened up and looked around carefully. “Interested? In what way? It’s a fine upstanding house I work in and I have no complaints.” She said the last part especially loud, turning her head to look around.

“No, no, of course not Ms. Crumple. But all we want to know is if you have some information for us… about… well, house guests.”

“We’re closed up now and I best be off to pick up something I have waiting.”

“Yes, yes, we know about your letter Ms. Crumple. We sent the boy to you.”

Ms. Crumple stopped and looked at Mary, then glanced back at Purella.

“Who are you?”

“We’re… friends of someone who is missing. A man, a man by the name of Cogsworth.”

Ms.Crumple drew herself up to her full height.

“I work in a decent house whoever you are. It’s not like we’re keeping anyone locked up in the basement. Best you bet getting back to whoever you came from, ain’t nothing here for you.”

“Thank you Ms. Crumple.”

“I aren’t told you nothing, you know?”

“Yes, of course.”

The woman turned and marched back up the road. Mary ran after her.

“Ms. Crumple, Ms. Crumple, aren’t you forgetting something?”

The woman stopped. “What?”

“The letter?”

“The letter? But you just said-“

“I know, but if you go back now, so soon and without a letter questions are bound to be asked. Plus, I think you will find the contents of the letter being held for you at the post office quite… interesting.”

Ms. Crumple opened her mouth o say something but then closed it. Without a word she now headed back downtime road to the village as Mary watched.

Pruella came up to beside Mary.

“Why did you tell her to go then? She’ll get that letter and the prize inside for nothing.”

“Nothing?” Mary turned to glance at Pruella but then continued to watch Ms. Crumple go down the road.

“She didn’t tell us about your Mr. Cogsworth.”

“Didn’t she? If there was no man there she would have asked many more questions, instead she immediately jumped to a conclusion that I thought he was locked up in the basement.”

“But she said he wasn’t…”

“Yes, so I conclude he is upstairs, maybe even in nice accommodations but perhaps still locked up. At least he isn’t dead.”

“I dunno My lady, sounds like a slender thread to pull.”

“Yet I fear it is all we have. Back to London with us then before the thread breaks!”

 

The two caught the very last train running back to London and did not return until late at night. The General, The Colonel and Liza all came in the handsome cab to pick the two women up. The two men had stern and rather dour expressions on their faces. The General, upon seeing Mary, started to say something but Liza cut him off, full of questions.

“So, tell us Mary! Did you find Mr. Weather?”

“No, I found Ms. Crumple. Ms Sunny Crumple.”

“Ohhhh, tricky, and did she cooperate?”

“Possibly. It was terribly tricky and I am not sure that she entirely trusted us, but she did confirm our suspicions that there is a man being held at the house. It has to be Cogsworth, right?”

The General hurumphed. “Knowing Iggelsdin he could have five men locked up there.”

“Grandfather!”

“But I suppose you might be right. Come on, let’s get back to the house. It is late and we need to get some sleep and regroup in the morning.”

“Only if Mary tells us everything she knows on the way home!”

[Part 18 posts Monday Dec 5!]

Part 16 - Balloons (NaNoWriMo work in progress, unedited)

[sorry for the interlude, the pace will pic up very soon]

16

Mary, accompanied by Preuella, arrived at Mrs. Deering house just as dark was falling the next day. Mary Had not been able to get away from London as early in the day as she had hoped and had missed the first train. Her Uncle had been most unsure of the plan, but the General had calmed him down somewhat. As their carriage stopped in front of the pleasant but somewhat modest home Mary was still fuming at the reluctance of her Uncle and the General to let her go alone. They worried that a girl alone would be in some sort of danger. As if, she thought, in the middle of England, the most civilized country in the world, as far as she knew, that there would be a thought…

It was only upon the assurance that Pruella would go with her that she was “allowed” to go.

A footman and a butler greeted them at the door of the house. While Pruella disappeared with the bags Mary was led into a small but cozy sitting room where a rather fat and dumpy older woman sat underneath a large blanket, despite the mildness of the evening.

The Butler coughed.

“Mrs. Mary XXXXX, my lady.” The Butler said.

“Mary!” the woman sprang to life as if she had been sleeping, which Mary suspected she had been.

“Mrs. Deering, so good to see you again. Mother sends her fondest regards too. I hope I am not too much of a burden this evening.”

“Nonsense, sit, sit.” Mary also suspected that far from being a burden, her presence was a welcome change for the household. She doubted that Mrs. Deering had too many visitors.

“Why Mary you have grown into quiet a woman. You have some of your mother’s splendor.” Mary had to hide a quick smile. She had forgotten Mrs. Deering’s peculiar habit of choosing words.

“You are so kind. I do hope we can have time to catch up, but the train ride has been rather long. I do wonder if I may be able to freshen up before tea?”

“Oh yes, yes, by all means, such an onerous trip for such a young girl. You go and change; we’ll have tea in half an hour dearie!” Mrs. Deering gave a cheerful wave from underneath her blanket.

 

Mary hurried up stairs as fast as she could behind the slow as molasses butler. Once he had shown her to her room, and finding Pruella there unpacking, Mary closed the door.

“Honestly  Pruella, this is some sort of hardship post. Not a minute with that woman and I am already bored to tears practically. Have you found your maid friend yet?”

“Yes Ma’am, she can come up after dinner for a moment. I didn’t tell her much, just that you wanted to know about a person at the Ingessldin house.”

“Wonderful, well done. Alright then, let’s get me changed and then onwards to tea and then dinner!”

Tea was just Mary and Mrs. Deering, again in the study. Mary was not sure that Mrs. Deering had moved an inch since she left her as she was still buried underneath large blanket.

The long tea was fairly boring. Mary pictured that Mrs. Deering was really just a small head and that the pile of clothes and blankets that spread out underneath were just to hid some sort of puppeteer. Mary imagined what would happen if she pulled the blanket away. Would a small man jump out, surprised?

“Mary, Mary dearie, did you hear me?”

“Sorry Mrs. Deering, I must have wandered for a moment.”

“Oh, I do that from time to time too” Mrs. Said with a chuckle.

I bet you do! Mary thought.

“I was saying that tonight we shall be joined by some dinner guests.”

Oh thank God! Mary said to herself.

“That is lovely, who will it be?”

“Oh, Mr Smithee and his son, young Ambrose. A fine young man, most fetching and of your age I should think.” Mrs. Deering all but winked. Mary inwardly groaned. Some young suitor? Just what she did not need at this point. She would be trapped, perhaps for hours, by some idiot farmer’s son. What if she stayed up too late, how would she make her excuse, and only to find the maid was no longer available for questioning. Ugh!

“Oh?” Was all she could think to reply.

“Well yes dearie. An young lady such as yourself should be married off by now. I do wonder what your mother is doing that you have not found a seemly fresh man yet.”

“Oh she is doing her utmost, I can assure you.”

 

Mary did her utmost to be charming that evening, but her worst fears were revealed in multiple. The “young man” was more likely in his thirties and a fat, slovenly type. He and his father drank too much and by the end of dinner Mary felt as if she were a choice piece of ham hanging in the butcher window. As much as she hated to do it, she pulled an oldie but a goodie.

“Mrs. Deering, I do hate to be a bother, but I fear the train ride out has left me with more trouble than I thought. I have a rather bad headache and must beg your pardon so as I might retire.”

“Oh goodness yes dearie. I understand, those trains can be so persistent. I’ll send the maid up with some milk.”

Mary wasn’t sure what that was supposed to accomplish, but she nodded and smiled. The two fat farmer’s grunted something in a language Mary was pretty sure was not English as she made her way out of the dining room.

Once upstairs she found Pruella and sent for the maid. Moments later an older pinched woman came into the room. Her face and body seemed to have been pulled as if by a taffy machine. She was tall and rail thin with slender hands and feet. She wore a dour expression on her face. At first Mary was sure this must the wrong maid, but Pruella smiled and pushed the woman gently forward.

“My Lady, this is Margery. She can help you.”

Margery stared down at the floor.

“Have a seat, please.” Mary said, gesturing to a chair she had set opposite hers. Margery looked a little taken aback but then sat down.

“Am I in trouble miss?” She said plaintively.

“Oh no, no heaven’s no. I just wanted to ask you about some of the help around these parts, some of the servants working in the other houses…”

“Yes Ma’am?” Margery sat up and seemed to visibly relax.

“Tell me, Margery, is there anyone by the name of Weather around here?”

“Weather? Like, like the outside?”

“Well, yes, or spelled like weather or not kind of whether too I suppose.”

“Not that I have ever heard of Ma’am.”

“Not perhaps at the Iggelsdin’s?”

“Ohhhh, no ma’am. No one by that name, unless they picked up someone in London. It’s the season now you know.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Oh, yes, ‘course you do. No, no, they only have a few there now. No one by the name of Weather.”

“Anyone there with a name like weather, like a Rain or Wind or Snow. A Snow perhaps?”

“No” Margery shook her head. “There’s the Butler, Mr.Thompson, he’s in London now, but his first footman is here, Mr. Dawson. And then there’s the other footmen’s been left behind, Mr. Lang, Mr.Walton, Mr. Burke…”

“Yes, yes, but something to do with weather?”

“And there’s the three downstairs maids left, them’s to clean up the place some. Let’s see Ms. Long, Ms. Martin and Ms. Crample… ohhhhhh.”

“What? Do you recall someone?”

“Well, no. No, it would’t be. I mean you’re asking about Mr. or Miss, that’s what you’d know, right?”

“Well yes… and no. Tell me, even if it sounds wrong.” Mary said, thinking of the fact that the name came from another maid, not Mary’s people.

“Well, Ms Crumple, her Christian name is Sunny. You know, like-“

‘The weather!” Mary said clapping her hands together. “Oh Margery you have been such a help. Here, this is for you.” Mary reached into a small bag and drew out several coins.

“Oh no miss, I couldn’t. Anyone could have told you about Ms. Crumple.”

“Oh no, it’s not for that. It’s to keep your mouth shut, are we clear?”

Margery’s expression was one of shock, but she slowly nodded.

“Sorry, I hate to be crude, but really, if we could keep this between ourselves, at least for a few days?”

“Yes ma’am. Safe as houses with me.”

Margery stood up and, bowing slightly to Mary, left the room.

“Thank you Preuella, your instincts on that one were right on.”

“It was nothing my lady. But, if you don’t mind me saying so, I am not entirely sure we can trust her not to tell anyone.”

Mary put her hand up. “I know, I know, I just hope she can keep her mouth shut for a few days.”

Part 15 Balloon (really? No suggestions on the title?) NaNoWriMo work in progress- unedited

15

Once there Mary absent mindedly picked up a book and sat in a large chair and began reading. Liza fussed over her work table, placing objects in a pile and then taking some out. She was at this for about five minutes before Mary let out a deep sigh. Liza’s head turned to face Mary.

“What is it? Oh… are you… upset Mary?” Liza said, putting a small compass down carefully on the table.

Mary tilted her head and closed the book with a loud snap!

“You seem quite cross Mary.”

“And why should I not be? I must ask you Liza, am I truly going to be a part of this trip?”

“Yes, of course, why-“

“Then why do I only find out information in drips and dribbles, as if I were a child who needed shielding from unpleasant things. Is that how you see me?””

Liza laughed but then caught herself. “Oh Mary, Mary dearest, no. That is not how I see you at all, heaven’s no. It has been difficult for you, I know, but I for one forget sometimes that you do not know everything.”

“Everything like what? Is there more?”

Liza sat down across from Mary’s chair and looked at her hard for a moment.

“No… I mean, I don’t think so. Probably Mary, I shall probably tell you things here and there and you will realize I have not told you them before. But I can assure you it is not that I or even the General are keeping things from you.”

Mary sighed and put the book down on the side table. “Oh Liza, I know. I know. It is just.. it is just that I do wish so very badly to go on this adventure. You have no idea how boring life can be…”

“I have some idea.”

“Yes, but really- Mother keeps me waist deep in lace making and party planning. If before I met you was dreadfully boring.” Mary grabbed Liza’s hands and held them. “I want to have this adventure, but also be of a help. So please do not hold back from me.”

“Very well. I promise to help you, and myself, have a grand adventure. Now, since we are packing for an adventure we must address your clothes.”

Mary laughed. “Oh yes please! I am dying to be rid of these hideous dresses Mother makes me wear!”

 

 

The next morning Mary sent a carefully worded note to the Iggelsdin’s house with her Uncle’s first floor maid. Pruella, as she was known in the household, was to find the Iggelsdin’s maid, Ethel, and give her the note.

 

Mary was practically a nervous wreck when, about an hour later, her maid Pruella came back. Mary was waiting for her in the downstairs kitchen, much to the cook’s consternation.

“Well? What happened?” Mary said, startling the maid.

“Well Ma’am, I found the maid Ethel for you and delivered her your note.”

“And, well do you have an answer?”

“Yes Ma’am. She said to me, she said “See how the weather turns.”

Mary looked puzzled. “And that was it, nothing else? Did she write anything in return?”

“No Ma’am, that was it, not even a good bye, she just left me standing by the back door.”

 

“Hmmm, that maid, Ethel? She seemed like an odd one” Liza said not a half an hour later. Mary had hurried over the General’s house to tell Liza what Ethel had said to her maid.

“What on earth could it mean, “the weather?” You don’t suppose there is someone there named weather do you?”

“Doubtful, not exactly a common name. But that does remind me, even if Ethel had given us a name, how would we know who it was or if they worked there?”

“Indeed, we must figure out a way to get a list of names of who works there…”

“Well” Mary said “I think I need to make a trip to the country…”

“What?” Liza said.

“Well, as I see it I may be able to use some of my country connections to suss out who is working at their house. Now, they are nowhere near our house, but I suppose I could see who is near their house I might know. Sort of work their help…”

“Yes, let’s ask the General… no, wait, let’s ask Ingrid, my lady’s maid. She’ll know, she knows a whole network of help.”

 

Within the hour they had, with the help of Igrid, found a friend of Mary’s Mother, a Mrs. Deering, who lived in a small house in the same county as the Iggelsdin’s house. Liza went back to Mary’s house to help her pack

“Now don’t get too excited” Mary said as she carefully placed clothes into a case while her maid gathered up jewelry. “Pruella and I may not be able to find out much.”

“Ma’am” Pruella said “If you don’t mind me sayin’, I know the lady’s maid of Mrs. Deering and she will know someone. She told me things about every Lady, Lady’s maid and scullery maid in the north of England last time we were there.”

“Excellent! See Mary, you’ll be fine.”

“Well, I hope. I suspect the most difficult part will be putting up with Mrs. Deering for the night. Oh I hope she does not talk to Mother anytime soon.”

“Why? What are you telling her is the reason for your visit?”

“That I am joining you and the General for a shooting party further up north.”

“Well, that sounds reasonable, and Grandfather and I can vouch for you!”

“That’s not the problem, mother will be livid I skipped out on some of the season’s parties.”

Liza looked at Mary strangely. “Good lord Mary, Other than that dreadful fête at the Oggelsdins’, how many parties have you attended since we met?”

Mary looked up, a shocked look on her face. “None!” and the two began to laugh, very loudly.

Balloon Chapter 14 (NaNoWriMo work in progress, spot the error(S)!

“Come again Liza?” Mary said.

“The Iggelsdins have a country house, I know they must, I saw it in the back ground of a painting. Am I am right about the house Grandfather?”

“Yes, yes, of course they do, someplace up in Scotland if I recall correctly. But what on earth are you proposing?”

“That we go up and retrieve Mr. Cogsowrth!”

“Don’t be silly girl.” The Colonel said. Liza glared at him.

“I am only saying that such a thing would be the height of foolishness.” The Colonel sputtered. “I suppose we’ll just march up to their house and ask to remove the young man?”

“Well, no, of course not. We’ll go to the police and they will go with us.” Liza said, as if it were the clearest thing in the universe.

“On what evidence?” Mary said quietly. “Liza, if we go to the police and tell them we think that the Iggelsdins are holding a man against his will without a shred of evidence we’ll be laughed out of the county.”

“Not to mention I would wager the local police are in Iggelsdins pocket, or at the very least someone would warn him we were coming, plenty of time to spirit Cosgworth away.” The General added. Liza’s face was red with frustration.

“Very well! We’ll just give up then? Let Mr. Cogsworth rot in some damp Scottish cell?”

“No Liza, but we must approach this rationally” Mary said, keeping her voice level. “I suppose it is reasonable that Cogsworth is up in this country house. But how we go about this requires some planning I think. Do we know anything about the house?”

“Not very much, I could ask around I suppose’ The General said.

“Ok, but carefully. We need to figure out how to get in to the house and look about. I don’t suppose there is a party coming up?” Liza rolled her eyes but said nothing.

Mary went on, “seriously, how do we get in there. If it is like the houses I have been to in the country, or for that matter my own house, the grounds around it will be quiet open. I doubt we shall be able to just sneak up unannounced. “

“Unless we go when it is dark!” The  Colonel said.

“Uncle, have you ever been to a house in the country, even one of modest means, that does not have a bevvy of dogs. A stranger approaching in the dark would be exposed before they got within a hundred yards of the place.”

Mary sat for a moment thinking. “We need a way to get into the house without being seen and of course without being caught. How can we get in?”

“A disguise perhaps?” The Colonel suggested.

“I don’t think so” The general said.

“Then how?” Mary said.

Liza stood up with a gleam in her eye. “Of course! Why not do the simple thing? What if we take the sedan?”

“What?!” The General exclaimed.

“Think of it Grandfather. The balloon is silent and we can land without being heard. If we go at night it would be perfect.”

“Assuming we don’t crash!” The colonel uttered.

“Moto can do it, I Know. We can land on the roof and be in and out before anyone even knows we’re there!”

“Liza,” Mary said “how on earth will we search a great house quick and quietly enough to find Cogsworth?”

“We’ll have to split up I suppose, or perhaps… perhaps we could try and bribe one of the servants?”

“Both sounds positively foolish” The Colonel chortled, Liza shot him a look. “No, I am serious young lady. We cannot simply wander about a huge house in the dark and not expect to wake someone up.”

“What about finding some maid Uncle…”

“And how would we do that? Ask around? We ask the wrong persona and they tell Iggelsdins, we’re dead meat I tell you!”

“The Colonel does have a point Liza” The general said. “It is simply not possible.”

“I Know a maid” Mary said quietly. Liza stood up quickly.

“That’s right! Only… she’s not at that house… although I suppose she could travel with them there… did you get what position she had Mary?”

“No, I thought you might have? No? Well, at any rate it doesn’t matter. If the family is here and she is too, then she won’t know what is going on at the house.”

“Wait a minute!” The General said, taking his pip out of his mouth. “What did you just say?”

“That the maid wouldn’t know-?”

“No, no, about the family. That is right, isn’t it. The family is here, at least for the moment. That means that back at the house in the country there will be a small staff at best.”

“That’s right” Liza said, her face brightening again. “If we could possibly case the house we could see which rooms light up-“

“No, no, we could not get that close.” Mary said “But I understand your point General sir. A small staff, less people to worry about waking up. If we can get even one person to talk chances are they would know what is going on…”

“We need to talk to Ethel as soon as possible, before Iggelsdin or even the whole family goes out there…”

“I could go call on her, on some pretense…”

“Good heavens no!” The Colonel said. “Well, really, why would a lady such as yourself call on a house maid. Send over Pruella. She’s our first floor maid.” The Colonel said to Liza and the General. “Give her a note and tell her to give it to Ethel and wait for a response.”

“All well and good Colonel” Liza said “But what on earth would we say? We cannot just ask for the name of an informer, what if the note is intercepted?”

The four of them fell silent.

“Yes!” said Mary, startling the General. “We’ll send over a coded note. We can ask if there is any good help at the country house we might hire away. Then, if it is intercepted it might be embarrassing that we are trying to steal one of their servants, but it would not alarm them concerning Mr. Cogsworth.”

“Brilliant Mary. But we must be quick, right Grandfather?”

“Yes Liza dear. I suggest we send the maid over first thing in the morning and meanwhile prepare the sedan. I think it would be wise to be ready to head straight for the Caribbean once we have Mr. Cogsworth, and get a head start on Iggelsdin.”

“The Caribbean?” Mary ask and the General went slightly red.

“Yes, yes. We do know that much, just not exactly where…”

Mary did not answer, but seemed a bit nonplussed.

“Shall we go upstairs and pack for the trip Mary?” Liza said, a bit too cheerfully, but Mary agreed and they made their way up to Liza’s bedroom.