Elizabeth: Part XXI

(Story begins here.)

Time passed quickly as Anton made his way through the simple path of the woods, taking in as much of the comforting temperate environment as much as he could while trying to keep his mind away from everything else. There was no obvious way of resolving the mystery that he was facing, and everything was contingent on as much research that he can unearth about the whole matter. Given the urgency of it all, the sooner he could do it, the better.

Without realising the time, Anton had subconsciously picked a path through the woods that eventually led out of itself on the other side, leading to yet another path that would eventually head back towards the manor. It was just as well for at that point was roughly the time in which Mr Higgins was about to send someone out to get Anton back---it was indeed approaching four, and the dinner appointment with the Crawfords were happening soon enough. The housekeeper smiled quietly to himself when he espied the master through the rear windows overlooking the field to the woods. That was one less item he needed to worry about as he scurried about preparing the dining room for the dinner party as his wife worked on the food.

Anton made his way back to the house via the main door to find that the housekeeper was already there, waiting for him.

``Master Anton, may I suggest that you take a shower before our guests arrive? The water has been prepared, and I have laid out your dinner jacket and the assorted attire on your bed. The food is in preparation and the dining room has been prepared. Is there anything else that you might want, master?''

`I'd totally want you to spill your guts and tell me just what was really going on here,' thought Anton to himself as he replied in the negative of needing more assistance from the housekeeper after thanking him for all the preparation work done. Anton folded up the umbrella that he had been using the whole early afternoon and placed it back into the ceramic stand next to the front door, nodding once again at the housekeeper before re-entering the house.

(Story continues here.)