|Chapter IV|

   The ballroom was beautifully decorated with flowers, chandeliers and the sweet laughter and chatter of the populace. The ball had started around half an hour ago and Mavis was getting dressed feeling rather the need to jump off the window and hide in the stables.

   The floor-length emerald green dress seemed like the devil's embrace for Mavis, yet, it was not the dress or the jewellery that bothered Mavis, it was the unwanted attention. She drew in a deep breath as she faced herself in the large mirror, the green dress was adorned with the onyx stones and emeralds. The satin flowed down from the hips like the giant waterfall and the sweetheart neckline made Mavis a little self-conscious—there wasn't much to show but still. 

   Her hair was pulled back in an intricately woven bun leaving the two strands hanging by the sides of her face. Her sapphire eyes glowed with the impatient curiosity as she turned around to see her brother dressed in light brown attire. 

   "Have you found anything on Flora Stoner?" Mavis asked and Maverick shook his head, "Nothing. Just she committed suicide one and a half month ago."

   Suicide? Mavis was sure it was anything but suicide. She needed to dig deeper, there was something here that was missing...

   After every logical point she had made in her mind met dead ends, now her head started to form rather illogical points to prove very uncertain things. She once again tried to remember every details of Sarah Paolin's room but there was something eerie about that murder scene. Especially, the dried Lily. No matter how much she tried to disregard the unusual aura it gave, the flower didn't slither from her mind. Nonetheless, there was another situation that had occurred. She huffed. The other day, Mavis was certain Mr Waldo might have recognised her already. She could only hope he would not say that to her father.

   "Well, Peter Johnson is here." Maverick announced gripping her attention. Future worries for future Mavis. For now, she had to accomplish the task.

   "Alright!" She said with a strengthened smile adorning her face, "Let's see what this ball has to offer." 

   The ballroom was quite lively with the presence of the Baron and his wife, soon Maverick and Mavis found themselves separated because of their mother who dragged Mavis to introduce her to the influential and eligible bachelors with titles. Lieutenant, Captain, Earl, Mavis smiled gracefully and answered the questions they asked and whenever her mother strayed away to let them talk privately, Mavis slipped away as well. Mavis was finding it hard to keep the conversations going which didn't include anything of her interest rather she was subjected more to the matters of household, knitting and even baby-making. Fortunately, before Mavis could just show the gentleman who'd asked about the consequences of his perspective.

   "I fear that is a particularly vulgar thing to ask a lady, Sir," a smooth voice spoke from behind Mavis and she turned to look at a tall gentleman wearing chocolate brown jacket and vest over his white shirt and same coloured trousers. His hazel eyes spoke of the knowledge that the man possessed and his face radiated the light of the truth. His blonde hair and blonde moustache looked as if he'd hurriedly got the deed of getting them primmed done.

   "Who are you if I may ask, interrupting our conversation, sir?" The man whose name Mavis had forgotten already asked fuming at the man, his cheeks and nostrils flared. 

   The gentleman smiled politely and answered, "With pleasure sir, I'm Peter Johnson."

   The colour on the face of the gentleman drained the moment he heard the name and he excused himself. Mavis looked at Peter Johnson with the grateful and curious gaze.

   "Excuse me, Miss. I must take my leave, I am looking for someone." He said and turned around to leave.

   "Wait!" Mavis called out and he turned back almost surprised.

   "If you have to thank me, please don't do that, I just did my duty as a respectable Englishman." He said and with a bow, he again gestured to leave.

   "I'm not thanking you," Mavis quickly blurted out but then realised what she just said, "I mean, I am thankful that you helped me but, I have something I need to talk to you about." She said and Peter turned to look at her with an expression of dilemma.

   "I'm really sorry but can you please make haste? I was here to look for someone." He said with the hint of urgency in his voice.

   "Whom do you have to look for?" She asked.

   "Lord Arthur Colton, I really have something important to discuss with him," he said and Mavis sensed the strange desperation in his eyes.

   "Look who we have here!" Maverick suddenly found his way to the duo and Peter looked more as if he was the string under a lot of tension.

   "Mr Peter Johnson, the most famous journalist in London." Maverick smiled but quickly sensed the tension in Peter's posture.

   "Is something wrong?" Maverick asked.

   "I am here because Lord Arthur Colton called on me urgently, saying that he wanted to talk to me about something important." Peter insisted and it made both Mavis and Maverick's ears perk up.

   "It is regarding the Case of Dead Brides, isn't it?" Mavis asked and Maverick looked around to see if someone was eavesdropping and his eyes landed on their mother who was eyeing them like a hungry tigress. Maverick gulped as she looked at Lady Colton who was talking to her.

   "Yes! But– But how do you know of it?" Peter asked and Mavis gave him a solemn expression.

   "Nice to meet you, Mr Johnson but it is me who had requested your presence," Mavis said and Peter looked surprised for the start, Mavis continued as she knew she didn't have much time to have a nice long chat with him.

   "I've been investigating the case with my brother and we'd like to know your views on this case. Can you tell me what condition were the dead bodies in when they were discovered?" Mavis quickly asked and Peter hesitated a little but looking at the determination in her sapphire orbs he couldn't keep it to himself.

   "The authorities say that it's a work of some lunatic but I don't think so, I had seen the bodies before the autopsy and they clearly don't look like they've been manhandled in any way. There was no other wound on the victims' bodies except for the one on their throats." Just as Mavis had seen. 

   "But then, how did the killer dress the victims?" Mavis asked while Maverick stood close by for the surveillance duty.

   "That's what is the strangest thing!" Peter said slapping the back of his hand on his other hand, "There was no bruise not even a scratch which suggested that they were tied or harassed yet, they were cleanly dressed and then killed. How?"

   "Is it a work of a hypnotist?" Mavis asked.

   "That's highly unlikely since the victims as per the eyewitnesses didn't see any stranger before their deaths," Peter said and then he looked once at Mavis with a strange expression which looked as if he wanted to say something but was holding back.

   "Do you have a theory?" Mavis asked and Peter nodded.

   "I was thinking that–" Peter was about to answer but Maverick suddenly cut in, "Danger, Mavis. Mother is coming this way." 

   "Oh, so you say that you have an interest in painting?" Mavis quickly changed the topic as she spotted her mother closer from the corner of her eye, the signal from her eyes told Peter to play along.

   "Uh... Yes, yes. Do you paint by any chance?" He asked.

   "Oh, no. It just gets my dress spoiled." Mavis smiled and their mother interjected.

   "Oh, mother." Mavis looked surprised to see her mother appearing right beside her.

   "Good evening, My Lady." Peter bowed to Lady Garnett with a charming smile.

   "Mother, how come you are here weren't you talking to Aunt Colton?" Maverick interrupted as well.

   "Good evening, sir. If I may ask who you are would you please?" She asked with the smile on her face that screamed danger for Peter. Peter cleared his throat.

   "My name is Peter Johnson, ma'am. I am a journalist," he said and Lady Garnett's face twisted with disgust.

   "Now, if you'll excuse me and my daughter I'd like her to meet someone." She said not caring if she was being rude as she clasped her fingers around Mavis's wrist and before Mavis could resist or Maverick could do something the horns started blowing, announcing the arrival of the Duke of Timberlley, His Lordship Victor Winthrope.

   Lady Garnett momentarily lost the grip over Mavis's wrist and that allowed her to remove her wrist but just as soon as she had removed it she found it clasped in another's fingers. Mavis looked at her side to see Amber standing beside her, her eyes gleaming with the radiance of infatuation and she gave off the strong aura of excitement. Nothing that Mavis needed right now, she was impatient to know what Peter wanted to say and get to the end of this mystery!

   "He's here! He's here!" Amber quietly squealed beside Mavis looking at the Duke entering the ballroom greeting everyone on his way.

   The Duke was in his mid-twenties with his golden blonde hair swept back from his forehead, his clear blue eyes gave off the strength and authority that he possessed and Mavis could suddenly understand why Amber would be infatuated by a man like him. He had almost everything that would make the women worship the path he walked on. He smiled and greeted the Baron and Lord Colton, Lady Garnett immediately dragged both the girls to the Duke and the three ladies in perfect synchronicity dipped in a curtesy in his presence. He smiled enchantingly and greeted Lady Garnett first.

   "My Lady, it's been a while since we've met. But there's no change in your beauty." He said as he pressed his lips lightly on the back of her hand and she laughed.

   "Oh, His Lordship is just so generous." She blushed as she said this and Mavis resisted the urge to blink at her mother's reactions, "Oh, Let me introduce you to my daughter, Mavis. Mavis this is His Lordship, Victor Winthrope."

   The moment the Duke laid his eyes on Mavis, she felt as if her mother had thrown her in a lion's cage with no weapon to defend herself. The Duke took her silence as her shyness and reached out to hold her hand gently in his.

   "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Mavis." He smiled at her and she cleared her throat.

   "The pleasure is all mine, Your Lordship." She managed to reply and he pressed a kiss on her knuckles. His eyes found her again as he rose and Mavis felt the strange tingles running up and down her spine.

   His eyes drifted to Amber beside Mavis whose cheeks were rosy red just by his attention.

   "And who might you be?" He asked.

   "That's my daughter, Your Lordship, Amber." Lord Colton said standing beside his daughter.

   "Ah, it's such a pleasure to meet such lovely ladies in this ball." He placed a kiss on her knuckles and Mavis looked around to find Peter.

   The Duke met with Maverick and Lady Colton and since all the guests had arrived the music was played loudly and the couples started gathering in the centre of the large room for the dance.

   "May I have this first dance, Miss Garnett?" For a moment Mavis couldn't believe that the Duke asked her and not Amber.

   "Oh, why not? Right, Mavis? Just go." Lady Garnett insisted and Mavis turned to look at Amber who looked crestfallen as the Duke took Mavis's hand and led her to the dance floor. 

   Mavis hadn't ever danced with any other man or even let any other man be anywhere close to her except for her father or her brother and the Duke was the first among all men who had audaciously held her waist and her hand. He smiled down at her and led the dance.

   "Have we met before?" He asked.

   "I don't think so." 

   "I do feel like I've seen you somewhere before," He insisted, "maybe you're the nymph that appears in my dreams." He said and Mavis resisted the urge to correct him by saying that she would rather be the monster of his nightmares. 

   Her eyes wandered off from the Duke's and she searched for Amber who seemed upset, she felt bad for dancing with the Duke knowing well that Amber liked him. Other than that, her objective of being at this ball was completely meddled with.

   "I love how this place is decorated." Lord Victor praised.

   "Yes. Amber was specific about your taste, Your Lordship." 

   "She was, wasn't she?"

   "Yes, she arranged all the flowers you like for the decorations."

   From his expression she could gather he was thoroughly pleased as he saw the lilies. But Mavis was now annoyed by this interruption as it had been two dances already still the Duke was asking for another dance. She could notice her mother's glowing eyes which annoyed her more. Two dances and this man had already given a sign that this was something that her mother could prepare a wedding gown for. 

   "Whom are you looking for, Miss Garnett?" His Lordship Victor Winthrope asked.

   "No one, Your Lordship," Mavis said with a false smile as she turned her attention to him wishing she would rather be dancing with a beast instead of him.

   "I must say, you are the most beautiful lady that I've ever laid my eyes on." He said and Mavis almost rolled her eyes. Did he really think he could woo her by his flattery?

   "I believe Your Lordship will see more ladies who are more beautiful than me," Mavis said with a smile.

   "The beauty of all other women is pale before yours, trust me." He said and Mavis for some reason felt as if something cold had touched her bare neck.

   Then, before Mavis could reply to the Duke's words a loud scream echoed through the ballroom and Mavis recognized the sound. She tore away from the Duke who himself ran behind her as she made her way through the crowd in the direction to where the scream had come from. She pushed away the man in her way and saw Amber lying on the floor twitching and clawing at the marble floor as if she was choking. Mavis quickly knelt beside her despite the fact that Lord, Lady Colton and Arthur were there trying to hold Amber. Amber's body twitched and she continued making strange choking sounds as Mavis gripped her hands and Amber's eyelids flew open and met with Mavis. Mavis felt her heart coming to a stop as she saw the beautiful blue eyes of Amber turned to pitch black. It felt hollow and the dark depth of it promised something sinister. 

   A cold shiver ran down on her spine as she recalled Mary's words. Was it really the curse?

   Amber let out a low guttural growl before suddenly her eyes rolled back and her body slumped against her brother's chest.

   "Amber? Amber?" Lady Colton wouldn't stop her violent weeping even as Lady Garnett and a few other ladies took a hold of her as Lord Colton and Arthur took Amber to her chamber.

   The ball came to an abrupt stop and all the guests returned with some strange stories about Lord Colton's daughter. Back at the mansion, no one was able to rest properly after watching Amber's strange behaviour, the doctor was called and he was diagnosing Amber as Lady Colton was crying in the corridor barely able to stand. Arthur's fiance, Miss Elizabeth Russell had stayed back and was standing right beside him at the moment. Mavis, Maverick and Peter Johnson were standing together, unable to speak as of what had happened with Amber. Peter seemed uneasy as he kept stealing glances at the door and then the doctor stepped out.

   "Doctor, how's my daughter?" Lady Colton all but threw herself on the doctor had not Lady Garnett and her husband held her back.

   "There is nothing to be worried about, My Lady. It seems like Miss Colton had a sudden seizure because of some reason. Let her rest for some time, please call me when she wakes up." The doctor said and was escorted out.

   Mavis and Maverick exchanged a look with Peter, the three having the same thought, it didn't look like a normal seizure. Maverick asked Arthur to let Peter stay the night and after the meal, Peter, Mavis and Maverick met in the garden.

   "It's cold," Maverick whispered as he tugged his coat tightly to himself.

   "Stop complaining, Mav." Mavis chided as she clutched the shawl tighter around herself.

   "This certainly didn't seem like a normal seizure to me," Peter said with concern in his voice.

   "Yes, even I think that," Maverick added.

   "This is something more than we are seeing, Mr Johnson, you are the one who has the most information on the case. Do tell what you have deduced out of the circumstances?" Mavis asked and Peter looked at both of them with a solemn look and then licked his lips.

   "I don't know if you will believe me or not or will just make fun of me but this is not a normal murder case." Peter took a deep breath before speaking, "This is a paranormal case."