Heart Of Iron: Praecordia Ferri [ON HOLD]

One - Meet Me At Midnight

Hello everybody! Welcome to my FIRST ever story to be posted on Wattpad. Super excited and all that jazz. Let's get on with this story. Enjoy!

By the way, this is a very long beginning chapter.

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 Chapter One  

"... Are you going to Scarborough fair,

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.."  

The smooth voice of a man preceded him as he walked down the alley. His footfalls echoed off the cobblestones and concrete brick walls. It was a dark and wet night, as usual in old London Town. A single gas lamp weakly lit the grungy corridor, and under it stepped the man. One could clearly see the shaggy dark mane of hair, most definitely uncut for several weeks, and a dark unshaven beard. Middle aged, perhaps. If one stood closer to him, there was no mistaking the cunning black eyes. Eyes of a man who has yet to grow from the mischievous college boy he once was. He lifted his head and studied the slimy water pipe closest to him. Then, as agile as a monkey, he hopped up each crate before grasping onto the pipe as high up the building as possible and made his way to the top right window. His movements were hardly human. Too quiet he moved, with barely a grunt or sigh, even from the rust worn pipes. The monkey man quickly reached the balcony, eased open the glass door and slipped into the shallow darkness of the room. He silently orbited about the room as if he knew where every nook, cranny and chair was, before he stopped at a dresser. He peeled off his jacket and began to remove his cuff links.   

"There you are, James" said a woman's voice suddenly.   

"Good lord!" exclaimed James as he jumped in shock, knocking the bedside lamp over in the process.  "Don't you ever knock anymore, sister!"

"I did. Several hours ago, actually" she replied calmly. James poked his tongue out at the figure emerging from the shadows of his room. She was a striking woman, James younger sister. Ash blonde hair in a dignified coif, proud and tall with high cheekbones and fashionably pale skin. What was most striking about Lady Esme Viceroy née  Paxton however, was her eyes, her arctic blue irises that could see straight through a lie and held more knowledge than a woman should know. 

"Where did you go, Jay?" She asked calmly. James stiffened at the use of his childhood name. Esme was angry.   

"Out" he replied curtly. It was very uncommon for the Lady Viceroy to lose her temper, but when she did it was as unpleasant as a blizzard in the middle of a London winter. 

"You knew today was of utmost importance, James! Doctor Biochetti has been waiting here for hours! How do you expect us to get anywhere in this investigation if you're out and running with every Jane, Judy and Jemima there is in the London slums, you stupid moke!" Her voice was raised to an uncomfortably high pitch and her face was mere inches away from James, eyes spitting blue flames.   

The brother shifted away from his overbearing sibling, meeting her icy glare with his own onyx stare. He didn't see why he had to explain to Esme his absence. For all James could care the Italian Doctor could stay as long as he, James, deemed fit. After all the doc did contact them and the massive four storey townhouse was under his name. 

"Calm down, Nanny. I had to run an errand and see to some issues down at the office". James tone was nonchalant, but his eyes were still stony. 

"And if you have to know I only stopped by Madame's today for Brigid. No Judy or Jane. Why do you even ask me these silly things sister? I know that was you I saw outside Barney's Beer. Keeping an eye on me as always. Or should i say clone?" was his reply, now fully reverted back to his cheeky self. He watched with satisfaction as Esme threw up her hands in exasperation.