Chapter Text
A carriage, struggling against the mud and thunderstorm in the middle of Yorkshire, had just broken a wheel. The coachman was in a panic, wondering how they could get out of this situation. It was well past sundown and the storm didn't show any indication of stopping.
"Mr. Steward, I'm so sorry about the weather-" the coachman began but was interrupted by the man in the carriage waving his hand dismissively. "Right sir, I'll look around for shelter."
The driver started looking around the road until a flash of lightning lit up a mansion just atop the hill. He rushed back to the car and told his master. In response, he only got a stern look, a scowl for opening the door so careless of the water, and a command for him to go to the house and bring back an umbrella.
Up the small hill at Sterling Manor, a servant came to the door to answer the knocking. The eldest son happened to be passing the hallway to see this drenched poor man. As a man of the theatrics, Chadster Sterling the third, as he preferred to be addressed, made a show of being so concerned about this "unfortunate wretched man", that he completely ignored all the attempts the driver made of telling them what had happened.
"Butler!" he yelled, although it was quite unnecessary, as he was right next to him, "Go get this man a clean towel! And brew us some tea!" He turned to the driver, who was already trying to tell them about Mr. Steward, who had been waiting for him to come back for quite some time when Chad spoke again "Oh, you poor soul, you must be freezing, here come in," his voice was as thunderous as the storm outside and had already alerted the other people of the house. A beautiful lady came from behind the young man. She was wearing a light house dress and had her hair spilling from her shoulders.
"What is it brother?" she stepped closer. As soon as she caught sight of the guest she turned away in embarrassment "Pardon me, I had no idea we had a guest. I'm improper, excuse me."
"No, please, I intruded on your hospitality, I am the one who should be-"
But before the coachman could finish his thought the lady had fled.
"Oh, don't mind my sister, she's a bit of a restive gal, now come here, you can't stand at the entrance, let's get you some clean clothes!"
"No, wait, I need to go back for my-" but Chadster had already dragged the man inside the mansion and on their way to one of the rooms.
"Out in this weather? Oh no, no, don't be silly" another lady - older than the sister, but far from unsightly.
"Ah, meet my mother!" Chadster the third said with a hint of praise in his voice. The driver didn't have to know much about this family to see that matriarchy ruled their home. He reached out his hand to shake, but she gave it palm down, expecting a hand kiss.
"Pleasure meeting you Madame" he saturated her powerplay with a symbolic bow and the light brush of his lips to her knuckles. If he were to, not only impose on their hospitality but also burden them with another soul, the least he could do was brush their ego.
Thunder sounded through the mansion, but this time it was not from the weather, but from a man standing at the port. He held himself with dignity, although his clothes were in almost as bad a shape as the drivers. A larger by build, but smaller in presence, man peeked from behind the first. He had the notion of a simple man in comparison to his surroundings.
"H- hello M- Mister and M- Misses Sterling I- I'm sorry t- to interrupt-" the large man began, stuttering at every word.
The woman gave him a carping leer. "Staple boy?"
No longer as apologetic, the large man straightened his back. "It- it's Barnaby, ma'am." Mrs. Sterling looked like she was about to speak again, but Barnaby beat her to it. "This is Mr. Alex Steward, his carriage has b- broken down on the side of the road a- and I offered him a hand. I hope-"
"Alex Steward, why does that sound familiar?" Chadster asked no one in particular.
"Mr. Steward, I am so very sorry, I hadn't tried to left you for so long," the coachman began gingerly apologizing, "I was about to tell them but-"
Alex didn't have to utter a single word for the whole room to hear his loud disappointment. It left the family with the impression that he was someone noteworthy. The air around him radiated importance.
"Oh, well of course!" the mother clasped her hands, "Please, let us take care of you immediately!" She turned to her son and in an irate voice she told him to go get the butler and sold him for taking so long.
As they walked into the living room, they were greeted by a couple of people.
The first was a balding man with a pipe between his teeth and a pair of small round spectacles. "What was all that ruckus, dear?"
"We have a few more guests!" his wife gestured to Alex.
"Ah, hello, my name is Chadster Sterling the second, very nice to meet you, young man!" He shook Alex's hand with a tight grip and a wide smile.
"The pleasure's all mine, Mr. Sterling, thank you for giving me and my driver a place to settle until the weather settles down." Alex gave a polite, cunning smile.
There were three other men in the room in the room: one near the fireplace, who seemed quite disinterested in the newcomers and keener on looking at the grandfather clock on Alex's right; a man with a pencil mustache, who had to put down his glass of whiskey to shake the traveler's hand; and a young and fit man with a scarred face that bore the eyes of an old soul.
"Ah, let me introduce you then," the man with the whiskey expected to be first as he reached his hand, but Mr. Sterling gestured to the man next to the fireplace first "This is my youngest son - Morgan."
"It's a pleasure." Alex greeted. He was met with an unamused and silent nod.
"And these are my good friends Ohio James and Physician Talon." Mr. James is the man with the scars and the Physician - is the one with the mustache.
As the pleasantries ended, as if on cue, Chadster the Third and his sister walked in with the butler.
"Ah!" The old man's smile grew. "And there they are, my beautiful daughter Diego," who had changed into a nicer gown and had braided her hair. She gave a polite bow, "And my big boy Chadster Jr Jr! See he was the eldest and he had the honor of baring down my father's name!"
"Unfortunately, I didn't have that luck," Morgan said quietly, but his sarcasm was roaring, which Alex found extremely amusing.
The butler cleared his throat to call attention to the two men, who were still in their stained clothes. "The bathrooms are this way, sirs." He led them out.
After a nice hot bath, Alex found it rude not to pay the hosts downstairs a visit. After all, they were kind enough to have put him in a clean and spacious room, provide him with a clean change of clothes, and even sent the stable boy - Barnaby to bring his horses back to their stable.
As he was about to exit his room he heard two voices talking in a hushed tone. He listened for a while before flinging the door open and staring his driver and the daughter down. "Oh, excuse me sir we uh-"
"No need Dodgers, you're still on the job." Alex shut him down.
The coachman didn't seem pleased by that but whatever he was thinking, he kept to himself.
The three of them made their way down to where the rest of the hosts were. They welcomed them and sat down for some small talk. Some of them came and went, some went to play cards in the tea room. It was a relatively boring night. But just as the clock struck midnight, a terrible scream filled the manor.