1900 - part 2/4
Alright. Because I like the 'whodunit' userpic too much, I could not resist....
PLEASE, DON'T TAKE THIS ONE SERIOUS. IT ISN'T SUPPOSED TO BE!!!
I just had a silly idea and went with it. I will in the end just randomly chose the one responsible. There aren't any real clues, except two. It wasn't Kevin or Scotty and it wasn't the butler. Other than that ... all bets are off, it could be anybody.
1900 - part 2/4
By Marea67
About: Kevin/Scotty and everyone else.
Rate: G?
Disclaimer: B&S is not mine, written with L.U.V. not for money.
Summary: Scotty should really stop reading….
*****
Kevin wakes up because Scotty is mumbling in his sleep, not only that, he makes some distraught little noise. Kevin gently tugs at Scotty’s arm, trying not to wake him up, but at the same time hoping Scotty is not having some awful nightmare.
“William Walker… is butler.” Scotty licks his lips, but doesn’t completely wake up.
Kevin can’t help but let out a little laughter. The idea of his dad as a butler sounds funny. Less funny is the fact that Kevin is now awake. He sighs and grabs the detective-novel that Scotty was reading earlier, maybe he should read it, until he gets tired… He looks at his husband’s face and caresses his cheek. Scotty smiles in his sleep, but it doesn’t wake him up
*****
Kevin is seemingly less impressed with seeing William Walker and explains who they are and what they’re doing here. Without a word, William nods, turns around and Kevin follows him. Scotty tries to deal with the fact that apparently this Kevin doesn’t know William Walker… who works as a … butler? Alright, whatever, go with it.
The door gets opened wide and they enter a Victorian room, where a young woman immediately stands up. Before William can say anything, the woman throws herself at Scotty’s chest. Slightly taken aback Scotty raises his hands and takes her by her shoulders to push her off him.
“This is Miss Rebecca Harper.” Kevin introduces rather needlessly and Scotty gives him a crooked smile. In the meantime, Rebecca raises her hand and presses her handkerchief to her eyes.
“I’m so happy you’re here. I’m completely devastated….” She cries, though Scotty doesn’t see tears.
“We have closed the door and left the place as it is.” It’s Justin’s voice and Scotty turns to him and it takes him a few seconds to adjust to the image of Justin, clean-shaven, impeccably dressed in turn of the 20th century clothing . Justin stiffly shakes Scotty’s hand.
“My fiancé, Justin Walker.” Rebecca says. “He will … bring you to my mother…. I don’t think I can….”
There’s a soft sigh, the handkerchief gets raised again and Scotty is still not impressed with the theatrics.
“Please, lead the way.”
They follow Justin through a long dark corridor and end up in front of a door, that gets thrown open by Justin and they have to blink at the bright sunlight…. (Hey! What happened to the ‘typical English drizzle’?) .
There, in the middle of the sun-room, draped over a chaise-longue is Holly Harper, a noose around her neck, bright red lipstick smudged all over her face.
Scotty finds the whole scene a bit unsettling, especially the dead blue eyes staring at him, yet he notices that he walks over the corps as if it’s ‘business as usual’.
Kevin approaches as well and Scotty knows that Kevin is watching how Scotty’s long fingers caress the knot of the noose first and then move up to close Holly’s eyes. He then takes a closer look at Holly’s face and the smudged lipstick. His gloved hand… (Gloved? - Yes gloved!….) .. goes through Holly’s hair and that’s when he notices the little traces of blood.
He gets up and whispers something to Kevin, then returns to the door, where Justin had stayed. Kevin follows him, notebook in hand.
“Can you tell me a bit more about Holly Harper, Mr Walker?” Scotty asks friendly and Justin blinks as if Scotty asked him to fetch him a Peruvian lama. He first turns white, then a red blush move up to his cheeks.
“W-what would you like to know a-about her?” He’s clearly stressed.
“Was she well-liked?”
“Oh, yes, she was an angel….” Justin replies, probably unaware of the almost heavenly look in his eyes as he talks about her.
“You liked her?”
“She would become my mother-in-law.” Justin tries to give himself some composure.
“But that would not really have satisfied you, hmmm? … Did you tell her how you feel about her?”
“Yes, a few months ago…” Justin replies.
“And….?”
“She was amused, but not interested.”
“That must have been hard for you to hear.” Scotty sympathizes. “Is that why you chose her daughter instead?”
“No… Rebecca and I were already engaged to be married…”
“I assume your fiancée was not amused?” Scotty asks now and Justin throws a hunted look over his shoulder.
“I don’t think Mrs Harper discussed my… confession ... with her daughter….”
Justin nearly chokes out the words and Scotty raises an eyebrow.
“What makes you think that?”
“Well, I assume that if Rebecca had known, she would have been in a state of fury and I certainly would have heard that…” His face shows that he probably has had some experience with Rebecca’s ‘fury’ and they obviously left some bad memories. Scotty nods.
“Thank you for your help.” He says friendly.
“I assume that you will join us for dinner?” Dinner? Scotty looks over his shoulder, the previously sun-lit room is now dark, Holly’s body is gone and through the windows he can see the moon and the stars. He’s hungry and tired and he wants to get some sleep….
“Dinner will be fine.” He therefore replies.
*****
Scotty looks over his shoulder at Kevin. For some reason he and Kevin are allowed to stay in the house rather than going to a hotel. And not only are they supposed to share a room, they even share a bed. How convenient.
“I’m sorry, this empty room in the servants quarter was all they had.” Kevin apologizes.
“That’s fine. I think I’ll sleep anywhere.” Scotty replies.
The wind outside picks up. Heavy rain hits the windows and the temperature seems to drop even further. The kerosene lamp gives the room a sinister look with all its dark corners. Scotty watches as Kevin puts on his nightshirt and then Scotty does the same. Kevin walks over to the lamp and wants to turn it off, but Scotty is there before him.
“Wait. I’m sorry you couldn’t join us for dinner…”
“Detective Wandell, we’re not in the same social class. It’s only natural that I should eat with the other servants…” Kevin shrugs.
Scotty frowns, he tries to remember that this is not really happening, still it bugs him.
“Maybe, still … I missed you… and your company.” They are only half a meter away from each other, speaking softly as if to not disturb anyone, although there’s just them in the room and there’s a storm raging outside. Kevin looks at him and Scotty wonders if he really sees desire in those blue eyes or if it’s just his imagination, but the way that Kevin refuses to continue to look at him, makes it obvious he’s hiding his inner thoughts.
“What did you find out from the other servants?” Scotty asks.
And it’s not only the desire to create some distance, but also to hear Kevin speak with that accent that Scotty finds very pleasant to listen to. And he will not be disappointed, for Kevin opens his notebook and starts to talk.
“At the moment of the murder there were several persons in this house. Aside from the victim, Holly Harper, there was her daughter, Rebecca Harper, and Rebecca’s fiancé, Justin Walker. You met them. In this house, for the upcoming marriage is also Justin’s brother Tommy, but he wasn’t home around the time the murder was presumably committed.
Amongst the staff there’s the butler, William Walker. And his wife, Nora. She’s the cook in this house, and a good one too.”
“I noticed.” Scotty replies in appreciation.
“There are two women involved in keeping the house clean. Kitty Walker and Sarah Walker.”
“That is an awful lot of Walkers. Related?”
“No. Kitty is from Glasgow. Sarah is from Australia, she moved here with her husband. And at the time of the murder there was also Robert McCallister…”
“Let me guess. He’s someone in politics?”
“He sweeps chimneys.” Kevin answers dryly and Scotty has to cough to cover up that he nearly chokes with laughter over Kevin’s answer.
“Fine…” Scotty replies, biting his lip to not laugh. “I’m glad we have that established then.. Did any of them have a reason to dislike Holly?”
“No. The servants are well paid and looked after. It would seem that Mrs Harper had a bit of a shady past working in the theatre, before marrying Mr Harper. When he died, he left her quite some money. Knowing from personal experience how hard the daily work is, she vowed to provide well for her staff, provided they look well after her.
So, they are quite devastated by her death. They will not only lose a good employer, but also their jobs…”
“Why?”
“It’s most likely that Rebecca will sell all her possessions here and go to America.”
“Lifelong dream, huh?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Does Justin share her dream?” Scotty now asks and Kevin frowns.
“I assume he does… Who wouldn’t want to go to America?” He then shrugs.
“Would you?” Scotty wonders.
“If I could earn a lot of money there, fast, and then return to Wales… Probably.”
“You would want to return? To Wales?”
“There’s no place prettier than home, sir.”
“True… I’ve moved so many times and been on the road so long, that I can’t remember ‘home’… I guess I envy you for your strong roots…” Scotty smiles and again Kevin blushes under the compliment he gets. Scotty takes the note book from Kevin, letting his fingers brush against Kevin’s, who clearly holds his breath.
Did Scotty really think that the light of the kerosene-lamp gave the room a sinister tone? Because by that light Kevin certainly looks good and sexy and … inexperienced? Scotty cannot even imagine a time when Kevin could have just that and now Kevin looks up at Scotty and he looks scared and excited at the same time.
Scotty moves his face even closer to Kevin’s.
Kevin closes his eyes, his lips part, just a little bit and Scotty presses his lips to Kevin’s, carefully to not scare him… Kevin freezes, but doesn’t pull away. After a little hesitation he even dares to place his hands against Scotty’s stomach and Scotty fears that Kevin will push him away. But he doesn’t. His hands slide to Scotty’s hips, rest there for a few seconds before continuing their way to Scotty’s back.
Scotty shivers under the soft caress. When Scotty finally breaks the kiss, Kevin remains standing there, his eyes closed, his lips still slightly parted, as if he isn’t aware yet the kiss is over.
On one side it looks funny, but on the other, Scotty is touched by how vulnerable Kevin looks. Kevin blinks as if reality just caught up with him.
“That was…. different.” He then comments and Scotty laughs.
“There’s plenty more where that came from.”
“Really?” Kevin asks. Scotty takes Kevin’s hand and guides him to the bed. It occurs to Scotty how strange this must be, considering they aren’t supposed to know each other for even 24 hours.
He can feel Kevin tremble and a weird thought comes up.
“You’ve never done this before, have you?” he asks and Kevin shakes his head slowly. He seems unable to take his eyes off Scotty and he looks a bit scared. Scotty can’t believe it! Kevin, a virgin?! Allllllright! Thank heaven for beautiful dreams! Scotty had often wondered how it would have felt like, if he had been the first for Kevin. Or if Kevin had been his first…. And now he had the chance… Wonderful….
END OF PART 2