The Blood Debt Chronicles

The Case of the Missing Mummy

Chapter the Twentieth or Adeline's Correspondence and Codes

Adeline tapped a fan against her hand thinking about the information Dravan, John, Mr. Taurus and Cat had delivered to her. Cat’s information confirming that her husband had been murdered implied that her son had also been executed. Whoever was behind this attack on the Pickering house was intimately involved with her family’s deaths.

I need more information. Adeline flicked her fan open and closed. Her face displayed no agitation, appearing ataraxia[1] like a still lake. Adeline’s emotions were more in line with a swan than a lake; like a swan she projected beauty, grace and serenity, but under the surface her emotions were turning. She opened the speaking tube and took a calming breath before speaking, “Mary, I’ll be going to my study. Please bring up all the ledgers.”

“Yes, lady.”

The rest of the staff would be returning tomorrow. Not only did she need to prepare tasks for them, she also needed to finish her usual weekly and monthly agendas.

She stood up from her divan and left her parlor. It was a typical feminine room, all flowers and lace, redecorated each season to reflect whatever was in vogue. It had to be updated regularly since it was the room where she entertained the wives of dignitaries and magicians. The parlor did not reflect her individuality, but rather her financial and social power.

The room she adjourned to was different. Her study was on the second floor, off her bedroom and connected to the two story library. Edward’s study, also connected to their bedroom, was connected to the library as well. Dravan would come use Edward’s study whenever he needed information regarding parliament. His stated reason was that there wasn’t enough room on his boat for his research and for government paperwork. While this was clearly true, she couldn’t help but believe there was more to Dravan’s reason than that.

Adeline pushed the door open revealing a room that was a bewildering hybrid of masculinity and femininity. While the chair behind the desk was designed with hours of sitting in mind, it was also constructed so a woman in corsets and hoops could sit in comfort. There was enough room on the seat that she could perch on the edge and her hoops could fold like an accordion behind her, there was an arm on the right side, but not on the left. This allowed her to sit, if she was wearing a train, by swinging it elegantly to the side so it draped over the edge. The back of the chair, which was purely decorative, had been done in the gothic style.

The walls were lined with built in bookcases that switched to drawers at about hip level. In the bookcases were books regarding a range of subjects: building construction, health and wellness, texts on human behavior from the powerhouses of the ancient world as well as a bound leather journal with her personal notes, with a few books about education and the heuristic method. The case closest to her seat on the northern wall and within easy reach of her right hand, was lined with out of place penny dreadfuls, books of poetry and bound copies of Dickens.

A stone fireplace took up half of the southern wall. A fire burned away any chill in the air and a painted metal screen prevented any errant embers from escaping. The screen was painted with flowers by many different artists ranging in skill quite drastically, some of the flowers were painted by hands that had grown up to be artists while others cockled[2]. Other works of art peppered the shelves, some were heavy enough to be used as bookends, others like the delicate standing glass leviathan, or paper origami rose, had space set aside for them. Like the painted screen, the art ranged in skill levels dramatically different.

The carved mahogany desk was a large, powerful, statement piece; it had been clear until Mary began placing paperwork atop it.

The stacks of paper were organized, “These are the ledgers from the orphanages, these from the women’s shelters, and these are the updates from the orphans that have been placed in homes around the country.” Mary paused here to add, “I’ve organized them based on what codes were given.”

“Thank you, Mary.” Adeline said nodding. All orphanages sought to place children in homes; it was considered healthier for a child to grow up with parents rather than an over crowded home that couldn’t give enough personal attention. However, after placing a child, dear sweet Jane McGregor, only to learn later that the poor child had been abused and murdered, Adeline had vowed that would never happen again. First, she had implemented that all her children had to write monthly letters updating the orphanage they came from on how their new home was. This wasn’t an ultimate solution however, since any abusive parent would read the letter before it was sent out. For this reason she had each child taught a cipher, hence the works of fiction and poetry in her study.

Each of her orphanages used a different cipher and the cipher that was taught to the children was changed every few years. This was for a few reasons. The main reason of course was for the safety of the children. By using different codes, if one of her orphans grew up to adopt and abuse, they would know there was a code, but not know what the code was, which would hopefully give her time to step in. None of her children had ever done such a thing. The secondary reason was far less insidious. By giving each time frame and orphanage a code she knew how long ago the child had been adopted and from where.

Of course, the code wasn’t just used to report abuse. It couldn’t be. The children had to use it consistently to keep in practice. That was why she responded to them in code and talked to them about what they were learning, any curiosities they saw, or what interests they were pursuing. Adeline had discovered that while some children’s interests went through them like bad meat, most people knew what their passion was when they were very young.

After two hours of allocating finances and responding to letters, Adeline found her lids drooping and a headache beginning between her eyes. With a sigh she stretched. Unfortunately that robbery meant that my whole evening was pushed back. I’ll pay for this late night tomorrow. Age had made getting a good night’s sleep a necessity rather than the luxury of youth.

She rang for Mary.

Mary arrived promptly, as if she had been waiting on the other side of the door. “Yes, lady?”

Adeline had a stack of letters prepared. “Please have these letters go out with the post tomorrow.”

“Yes, lady.”

“The others will be returning tomorrow. What time will you be leaving for the station? You will be spending your time with your sister in Edinburgh?”

She nodded, “Yes. I’ll be leaving after you rise for the day.”

Adeline nodded. She opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out a sealed letter. There was an old fashioned wax seal on the back, pressed with the Cersideon family crest. “Since you are traveling to Edinburgh, would you mind taking this to the highland estate?”

They both knew Mary couldn’t refuse. But Edinburgh was still a day’s travel away from the highland estate. It would cut into her time with her sister.

“Of course, lady.”

“I will consider it a personal favor and you will of course be compensated for the time.”

Mary’s eyes widened briefly. “Certainly. It would be my pleasure.” She went to the door, her hand on the knob; she turned back, “Would you like me to help you into your night clothes?”

Adeline stood shaking out her skirts so they fell properly, “Yes, I suppose it is past time for me to change.”

Mary set the papers on a low table so she could help Adeline out of her skirts and corset. “Usually you change before doing your nightly paperwork.”

“Yes, I suppose I was distracted tonight.” Adeline paused thoughtfully while Mary unlaced her.

“Will you be waking at the usual time?” Mary asked turning down the sheets and putting in the warming stone, “Or will you wish to have a late morning?”

Adeline climbed into the large bed, “No, no, there is much to get done tomorrow. I will be up at the usual time. Thank you and have a blessed night.”

Mary curtsied and left so she could retire. It had been a long night for them both, but Mary had been up for hours before Adeline had risen.

When the house was finally still, Adeline turned into her pillow and wept.

[1] Absolute calm and tranquility; complete freedom from anxiety or strain

[2] This word has many meanings, though in this case it is used to mean “wobble”