"What's the matter with you?" Ciel inquired as Sebastian helped him get ready to go to the ballet. "You are more pensive than usual, I can sense it."
"You are correct; obviously your senses have improved greatly since your transformation." Sebastian confirmed. "Matilda made a rather intriguing comment after the briefing, you see, and as a result I have a thought about the group going to the ballet."
Ciel scowled. "Well, out with it then! Why do you make me drag out my questions?"
"Matilda said that she knows the prima ballerina of the troupe," the butler stated. "At least, she thinks she does. It is my belief, young master, that it would be of the utmost benefit to you and to the solving of this case if you were to include Matilda in the outing to the ballet."
The young earl scoffed. "I would never dream of allowing a household servant to come along on an outing of nobles. You, Agni, and Paula are the odd exceptions."
Sebastian finished tying Ciel's bowtie and stood upright, delivering a flat retort. "I'm afraid this is folly, my lord."
Ciel whipped his head around. "What?" he growled at his butler, glowering.
"Matilda could be the pivotal point for this case," Sebastian continued, straightening his gloved on each hand. "She could expedite the solution by days, even weeks, if you take her with you and she recognizes this Bryony Redruth. Her presence in this case may even eliminate the need to consult Undertaker; you never know. To refuse to allow such an asset to accompany you and the others to the ballet merely due to the station she holds as a servant is folly."
"This is new for you," Ciel remarked. "Speaking so directly to your master. I suppose the more my senses improve, the less self-control and decorum you have. In other words: the more I adjust to being a demon, the more human you become." he sighed in defeat. "Fine, I suppose you are right. Matilda will come with the rest of us to the ballet. Perhaps that explains the extra ticket the queen included with the letter." The earl began to pace back and forth across the room once more. "It won't do to have her coming along as the maid, though, even with some of the other servants accompanying their masters. She has no particular master or mistress as it is not her station. We must think of a new identity for her to assume; a disguise."
"I believe I am the best person for that job!" An exaggerated voice sounded from the hallway, and all of a sudden the door flew open to reveal a flamboyant and blood-red reaper striking a pose.
"What the - Grell?!" Ciel stumbled backwards in shock. Sebastian immediately inserted himself between the earl and the shinigami, realizing as he did so that he no longer needed to protect his master so fiercely.
Grell clapped her hands to her face and squealed. "Oh, Bassy! Did you miss me?"
"Miss you?" the butler replied in a labored voice. "Why, I haven't even aimed at you yet."
Grell waved a hand at the butler, as if shooing his retort away. "Oh, you," she giggled, but then straightened up and tried to don a serious demeanor. "In this case, however, I am not here for you. Adrien asked me to keep an eye on his wife since he has some corpses to take care of, and now that she is going to the ballet with you it seems you need my skills to create the perfect disguise for her." She marched over to the wall where a tasseled rope hung, tugging on it to summon Matilda to the earl's bedchamber.
Ciel peered at the reaper from behind Sebastian. "Adrien? His wife?"
"Undertaker, silly boy!" Grell put her hands on her hips and bent down to the earl's level. "Don't tell me all this time you never learned his name!"
"His name is Adrien?" Ciel inquired. "And Matilda Livesey is his wife?"
"Adrien Craven and Madame Mathilde," Grell confirmed, clasping her hands together and popping one foot up behind her. "I've never known a more romantic union than the two of them. I even attended the wedding! It was simply splendid, especially for one held in a mortuary. But never mind about that now: we have to create the ultimate persona for Mathilde!"
"Madame Mathilde?" Sebastian wondered aloud, but was ignored by both Ciel and a gushing Grell as Matilda entered.
"Why, Grell!" the maid exclaimed, rushing forward to grasp hands with the red reaper. "What a lovely surprise! How is Adrien?"
"Working hard and longing for you, of course," Grell sighed. "I'll tell him you are in the same position. Now, then:" the shinigami circled Matilda, gesturing broadly and flourishingly. "Given her French ancestry, it is only fitting that she take on the role of a French noblewoman tonight," she lifted a finger in the air matter-of-factly. "Because she is a servant and is going undercover, I propose the name Capucine Brodeur - Brodeur from the French word for embroiderer, signifying servitude, and Capucine from the French word meaning cape or hood, representing a disguise."
Matilda raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I'm confused," she admitted. "What is going on?"
Ciel addressed the household maid. "We need you to accompany us to the ballet tonight. If you recognize Bryony Redruth, you could be a tremendous help on this case. However, you cannot attend as yourself. Paula, Agni, and Sebastian can attend as servants because they are assigned to Lady Elizabeth, Prince Soma, and myself as personal servants, you see. Because you tend to the entire household rather than a singular master or mistress, it would arise suspicion if you were to be seen with members of high society. We have to disguise you." he threw an irritated gesture in Grell's direction. "Apparently he's your best chance."
Matilda glanced at Grell, who flipped her long red hair and cocked an eyebrow at the boy earl. "Grell knows a great deal about these subjects; she is quite talented," the maid declared, in a tone almost chastising the young master. Ciel glowered at Matilda but said nothing.
"As for her clothing, certainly none of her dresses are fit for the ballet, and I'm afraid I do not own much besides my work attire," Grell continued, addressing the earl. "However, if you were to point me in the direction of a collection of fine women's clothing, I can fix this wench right up!" she pinched Matilda's cheek affectionately. Matilda rose an eyebrow at the reaper and crossed her arms, but she couldn't refrain from smiling.
Ciel pressed his thumb and forefinger to his chin and puzzled over the reaper's request. "Hmm... nothing Lizzie owns would fit an adult... perhaps I have something of Mother's or Aunt An's stored away somewhere. That may be the best we can do. Sebastian!"
Without having to hear the rest of the order, Sebastian placed his hand over his heart and bowed. "Yes, my lord."
~
Many minutes later, Matilda was dressed in a velvet gown of vivid red, and her magenta hair had been curled and pinned atop her head. She gazed at her reflection in astonishment.
"I hardly recognize myself," she struggled to comment as Grell applied rouge to the maid's lips. "I wish Adrien could see me this way."
"Trust me," the reaper replied, placing the final touches on Matilda's face. "You already appear this way in his eyes." Grell set the rouge down on the dresser, stepping back to survey her work with a pleased expression. "Gentlemen," she called to Ciel and Sebastian, motioning for Matilda to stand. "I give you: Lady Capucine Brodeur!"
Matilda curtsied clumsily, giving a weak smile. "I have much more to learn about playing this part," she admitted timidly.
~
Queen Victoria had, it seemed, taken it upon herself to send two coaches to transport the group to the ballet; one driven by Charles Grey, the other by Charles Phipps. Ciel, Sebastian, Lady Elizabeth, and Paula climbed into the first coach, while Prince Soma, Agni, Matilda, Lau, and Ran Mao squeezed into the second one; Ran Mao made room for Matilda by sitting on Lau's lap. The journey into London seemed shorter than usual, perhaps because Ciel found himself discussing the case details with Lady Elizabeth. When they arrived at the theatre and Grey and Phipps opened the carriage doors, the party found a substantial crowd gathered.
"It seems this particular ballet is quite popular," Sebastian remarked. "Though I wonder if it is the production or the troupe that the audience enjoys."
After much jostling and waiting and walking, they finally arrived to their seats in one of the left balconies of the theatre. Matilda, Ciel, Lady Elizabeth, Prince Soma, Lau, and Ran Mao sat in a row together while Sebastian, Paula, and Agni sat behind their masters and mistresses. Matilda peered down at the stage through the opera glasses that had been loaned to her.
"I can see so clearly from up here," she exhaled in awe. "I've never seen any sort of theatre production from a balcony seat! How exciting!"
"Of course not," Ciel grumbled beside her. "The higher seats are reserved for nobility. Act like you're used to this, or you'll give yourself away, and us with you."
Just then, a voice from the entrance to their balcony made all nine heads turn at once. Ciel instantly went rigid with disgust, for merely feet away stood a horrifyingly familiar person.
"Viscount Druitt!" he exclaimed under his breath.