Kit tests the chair and sits, pulling out his cigarettes. "Would you like the practical answer, or what one of the heroes in my stories would say?" He grins strikes a match.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:18, Wed 14 Mar 2012.

Father Alden declined a cigar, but did take a small snifter of brandy.

Father Alden sighed, “I believe in being practical.  Jonathan I don’t like to be the bearer of bad news, but your grandfather was clearly mentally unstable.  He fell under the sway of a medical quack who attempted to root as much money out of your grandfather as possible.”

He looked down and with a somber tone continued, “I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I feel being forthright is the best way to deal with issues like this.”

“The part I can’t quite understand is how it affected your father.  I know revenge can lead a man to ruin, but there seems to be more to the story here than we know.”

In reply to Christopher 'Kit' Cavendish (msg #40):

"I want to know what you make of it, Kit, honestly."

Kit laughs. "Both answers are honest, cousin. The practical side sais we should see if you have enough money to hire a staff to replace these people, clean up the estate and leave well enough alone regarding what your father wrote about."

He knocks some ash off of his cigar into the ashtray. "But the hero in my mind thinks we should buy a couple more guns and head straightaway for Axbury." The glint in his eye tells Jonathan which way his cousin's mind is leaning.

"I didn't know your dad well, cousin, but my father spoke of him in the highest terms. I would like to see justice done just in case foul play was involved in his...well..." He sits back and takes a sip of his liquour, looking quite serious.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:38, Wed 14 Mar 2012.

Father Alden frowned at the mention of guns, “I don’t know that firearms are necessary, but it does rankle a bit that this charlatan may still be at large.  Who knows how many other people he may have swindled?”

“I would advise getting things in order here at the house first.  But I wouldn’t be opposed to a trip to see if this Soran is still up to his old tricks.  Then if we see that he is, we can notify the authorities.”

"My first impulse is to pursue the matter and bring any guilty parties to justice. On the other hand, at this late date even finding the truth will be difficult, let alone proving it in a court of law. I haven't decided whether I will stay in England yet, though I want to see this old place restored to something like its former glory in any case."

He rings the silver bell Nana had left to summon her. "Nana, ask our driver to step in here for a moment. I need to ask him something."

Nana takes her sweet time in answering Jonathan's summons, then grumpily insists she hasn't seen 'hide nor hair' of the driver since she showed you to your rooms.

Kit frowns. "Well, we should go find him! Where is Walter, Nana?"

"He's long abed" answer Nana shortly.

He cocks his eyebrow. "Is he, now? Rouse him. We're going to need his help looking for the driver."

Father Alden slowly lifted the brandy snifter  upward, then stopped and reversed direction with the snifter.  He  listened with some interest to the interchange between Kit and Nana.

“Am I imagining it or is the house keeper rather surly”, he thought to himself.

Jonathan gets up from the table, "We'll need lanterns, Nana. Fetch them to the kitchen." Turning to his friends, he adds, "We should search for the car first, I think. It shouldn't be too hard to find."

"Wake up Walter, fetch the lanterns... make yer bleeding minds up" mutters Nana as she heads off to the kitchen. A few minutes later you grab the lanterns she has provided and head out front while Nana shuffles off to wake Walter.

Outside it's a warm, starlit night. The taxi hasn't been moved from where Bill dropped you off...

Jonathan crouches by the car, examining the dirt.

Jonathan Cavendish rolled 2 using 1d6. Outdoorsman +2 spend = 4.

"You're better at this than I am, Uncle George. Does the ground tell you anything?"

George had been cleaning his Springfield 30/6 when the discussion had begun in the house.
The rifle was now loaded and cradled in his arms as he checks for tracks.

20:47, Today: Captain George Yates rolled 6 using 1d6. Outdoorsman.  Do I roll over?

Kit stays just inside the house, watching Jonathan and the Captain while waiting for Walter...

George picks up two sets of prints in the gravel. One heads towards a tumbledown shed, the other to an old stables block that is evidently still in use as the double doors to the front are open.

"Got two trails here.  One heads towards that shed, and the other to the stables.  The double doors are still open."

George heads off slowly towards the stables, rifle ready.

The stables is obviously empty of horses, but a couple of tool-strewn workbenches testify to its new function. Close to the door you see a large pile of picture frames in the process of being chopped into firewood. Perhaps that was what Walter was doing when you arrived.

What catches both Jonathan and George's eye however, is the heavy indentation in the gravel leading towards the side of Blenheim House. It looks very much like someone dragged a body away from the stables...

"Come  on!" Jonathan shouts, lifting the lantern higher.

George training kicks in suddenly.

"Wait, Jonathan!  Get behind me, I'll go first.  Kit, keep your eyes on my back!"
George follows the gouge carefully, rifle ready

Kit tears out of the house at George's call and heads out to follow the Captain, watching the area carefully.

Walter had better show himself quickly.... he thinks...

The trail leads to an arched window set low in the wall of the manor, evidently leading into the cellars. Your lanterns illuminate a slice of the grimy room beyond but no sign of Bill. You can all squeeze through the window if you don't mind ruining your outfits.

Kit pushes through, feet-first....

Father Alden’s head bobbed as his eyelids closed for what seemed the twentieth time, until Kit ran out of the room.  Father Alden trailed behind Kit somewhat mystified as to what was going on.

He came around the corner of the house, just as Kit attempted to slip through the window.

“What in heaven’s name is going on?”, Father Alden asked in a puzzled manner.