Those eyes were like two vast oceans full of sinister secrets.

Yvaine felt more than just a little unsettled at the sight of Wilhelmina's picture in the newspaper. She had presumed that the thing, that entity made of grey smoke, was just a product of her tired mind. It could not be a real thing, of course, it could not be. But then that afternoon looking at the picture she did not feel so certain about that theory.

Cold sweat dripped down her forehead. Her palms grew sweaty with tension as that similar chill passed by the back of her neck. But her eyes were fixated on the portrait of Wilhelmina, try as she might she could not tear away her gaze from it. Those eyes, they were speaking to Yvaine. It had so much to say yet it did not have a medium to do so. But the desire was strong, she could feel it.

Without realising what she was doing, Yvaine raised a finger and traced it along the cheeks of the picture when suddenly;

"Oh my God! Everyone, look what I have found!"

Yvaine shook it in surprise at Amberly's sudden exclamation, almost letting the photocopy drop down on the floor. Oleander too was taken by surprise that he spilt some of his coffee on the table, which he wiped with his elbow in haste.

"What is it, Miss Wood?" Yvaine answered, recovering from the momentary shock. "Something about the disappearance?" Subsequently, she folded the photocopy she was reading and put it on her lap.

"They might be connected!" Amberly's face glowed like that of an excited child. "Look here!" She brandished the photocopy in front of her face, waving it to and fro like a sword.

Yvaine and Oleander moved closer and peered at the article to which Amberly was pointing. It was dated twelfth January 1882, exactly two days after the disappearance of Wilhelmina Andras. The article read,

'Tragedy strikes the town of Andrasville. Right after the news of Wilhelmina Andras's disappearance, yet another heartbreaking occurrence has caused much grief amongst the townsfolk. In the early hours of dawn yesterday, the corpse of Felicity Rose was found underneath the boxelder tree in the garden of the Rose Mansion by her older sister Paisley Rose. She had claimed that her sister had been murdered but investigations made by the police and studies of the body made by the coroners suggested that Felicity Rose had fallen from the tree thereby snapping her neck which had caused her death. Grief struck Paisley Rose has accused the authorities of concealing the offenders. She claimed that Felicity never knew how to climb..'

"Isn't Paisley Rose the one who wrote that message in the bottle?" Amberly questioned, as Yvaine and Oleander retreated to their former positions having completed reading. "Didn't she claim that she knew where Wilhelmina was? Maybe that's why her sister got killed! They wanted to silence her!" She let out a deep breath, eyes shining at the conclusion she had made.

"That very much is a possibility," Oleander put a hand upon his overflowing beard, scratching it slightly. "But what proof do we have to support it? There is no certainty about this theory."

"Or maybe her sister indeed died from falling from a tree," Yvaine said, wearing a thoughtful frown. "But Paisley Rose felt that her sister was killed because of her knowledge regarding the disappearance of Wilhelmina Andras. Also, there is a good chance that Paisley was just creating a scene to attract attention and had bluffed about knowing where Wilhelmina was." She concluded.

"All of these are very good possibilities," Oleander shook his head. "Is there someone in this town who we can consult regarding this Miss Paisley Rose?" He asked.

"Well, there is a family named Rose in this town. They have lived here forever. Might be related to this Paisley Rose." Amberly said. "They live in that old mansion near the woods. It is very near to Miss Agan's chateâu."

"Ha! Didn't I say that there is always something in the newspapers?" Oleander proclaimed with a huff. "We have already got our first lead in this mystery of the disappearance of Wilhelmina Andras! Let us go and meet them tomorrow, shall we?"

"Yes, it's Sunday so neither I nor Miss Wood has got any work," Yvaine nodded in acquiescence. "Yes, we can go tomorrow itself."

"That would be the most convenient! The faster the better." Oleander beamed.

"So, it's settled right?" Amberly looked once at Yvaine and once at Oleander with joyous eyes. "We are officially a team! " She extended her hand. Yvaine smiled and put her hand on Amberly's palm followed closely by Oleander.

"Team!" They exclaimed together.

***

Gaia Rose walked mindlessly down the road, melancholia filling her heart. An oversized school bag hung from her back, swinging with each step she took. Her steps were languid, like the motion of thoughts that were killing her from within.

She was thinking about her experience in the chateâu earlier that morning. For as long as she could remember she could hear voices and sounds from the past, which also included, much to her disliking, the voices of the dead.

This was the very reason she had no friends in school or elsewhere in the town, because the other kids, although unaware of the truth, thought that she was just too weird and aloof. It was what she heard in the chateâu; dead men speaking. There was something in there alright.

Gaia was well aware that her mother, Vesna, knew what it was, or at least had an idea about it. Everyone native to the town knew about it, it was the infamous chateâu of the old Andras family after all. But no matter how hard she tried to make her tell what it was she would shut up like a calm. And ever since that new librarian had set her foot in Andrasville, her mother had grown even more shifty and secretive.

Why just a day or two ago she had been going on about some message in a bottle! But when Gaia had questioned about it she became deathly silent. And earlier that day she had shoved that box into her arms and asked her to drop it there. And she had an idea why her mother had done so.

With such thoughts, Gaia trudged when suddenly she bumped into someone. Looking up she saw that it was Kenna, the rainbow-haired nurse who lived in a little yellow apartment by the hospital. She grinned at her.

"Hi, Kenna!" Gaia greeted. "Out with Bobby, huh?" She bent down in front of the cheerful pug on a leash, patting her roundish head.

"Yes," Kenna replied. "It's been a while since I last saw you, Gaia. How's it going for you?" Kenna asked with a characteristic jolly smile.

"I am well," Gaia Rose up. "What about you? How are you doing?"

"I am fine," Kenna replied with a shrug. "But you know what? I got a new neighbour and met with the new librarian! I am almost positively certain it was her!" She squealed in delight. Kenna had always loved meeting new people, an opportunity that she barely got living in Andrasville. Rarely did anyone move into the town.

"Oh really?" Gaia asked with dilated pupils, an idea forming at the back of her mind. "What is she like?"

"Pretty polite and seemed friendly," Kenna answered. "Why didn't you meet her? She lives so close to you!"

"Uh-huh. I would do it now I guess," Gaia chuckled. "Anyways, goodbye Kenna. See you later!" With that Gaia skipped past and began walking with faster steps. A determined frown was etched in between her arching eyebrows. The new librarian lived in the chateâu, didn't she?

Maybe she could get the whole story from the librarian.