Baskergrand The Nautilus

After breakfast the next day, Percival got ready to go and meet Charles. After he showed Charles the discovery, the two men transferred the suit into the coffin, then loaded the coffin into Charles' carriage.

'Charles is a scientist; he's the perfect person to investigate more about this suit. I will see what he has to tell me. I feel...very excited,' Percival thought as he finished putting on his attire in his room.

''Percival? Percival! Are you up there?'' Percival heard his mother call from outside. Percival swung open his room door and went to the top of the stairs.

''Yes, Mother?'' he called back.

''Oh, you are up there. I need to see Lady Melton today; I need to see if she received the invitation for the ball. I will also see Lord and Lady Josephs afterwards. Algernon wishes to see Uncle Evelyn again, and your father has been called back to London on urgent business. Are you going anywhere, today?'' his mother reported then asked him a question as he came down the stairs. She was wearing a pink dress with a peach shawl and white bonnet with matching lace gloves.

''Uh...yes, I am. Just to see Charles,'' Percival answered, meeting his mother.

''Beller? What ever for? Oh, you are not inviting him to the ball, are you? I can only deal with the one eccentric scientist, Percy, and that being your uncle is enough; I cannot handle another,'' Victoria complained.

''No, no, I just want to see him. He takes regular trips to London, and I want to see if he has brought back any more intriguing souvenirs,'' Percival excused.

''Oh, well, that is all right. Well, see you tonight then, my darling,'' Victoria said as she kissed her son's cheeks.

''Have a nice day, Mother,'' Percival returned. She smiled before turning around and headed out of the manor. Percival's smile grew broader whilst he pondered on what his trip to Charles Gordon Beller would yield. Percival left Comerton Hall on his own horse, and travelled to Blessings Manor, the abode of Charles Gordon Beller. When Percival arrived, he dismounted his horse and knocked twice on the grand, dark brown door that greeted him. He waited a few moments before a servant opened the door and greeted him.

''Master Percival Baskergrand, Master Beller is expecting you. Follow me,'' the servant said, letting Percival in and closing the door behind him. Percival was led down the decorated hallway towards a room at the end. When he was let in and left alone, he was puzzled to find no one in the room, which looked to be like a library. It had no furniture, with the exception of four large book cases surrounding the room.

'Where is Charles?' Percival thought with an extremely confused expression. 'Maybe the servant thought he was in here but-'

''Percival! Glad you could make it!'' Percival turned around to see Charles had emerged suddenly from behind one of the book cases.

''Oh, there you are! I thought I had come to the wrong room,'' Percival remarked, shaking his friend's hand.

''You forgot about the room down below?'' Charles asked him.

''Oh, yes, I did. I haven't been here since March, I had quite forgotten the secrets of your home, Charles,'' Percival responded. Charles laughed, then grabbed hold of Percival and ushered him down the steps to his private room.

''This is where the science happens!'' Charles gushed, showing Percival the interior of his mock lab room. Percival marvelled at how large it was, from floor to ceiling. He saw various scientific apparatuses, piles of paper on tables, and a giant black chalkboard with many equations written on it in chalk.

''Yes, I can tell,'' Percival mumbled. Charles went towards the back of the room as Percival followed. As he came up behind him, Percival saw the feet of the suit, then saw the the rest of it laid on its back on a table.

''Here it is. The Nautilus,'' Charles said aloud, standing beside the mechanical suit on the right side of the table, with Percival coming to stand at the left side.

''What have you discovered?'' Percival asked immediately.

''Not much, but I know there is much to be garnered from it. I only began work on it shortly before you came,'' Charles said, tinkering with the helmet.

''You've just began? Only now?'' Percival questioned Charles in slight disbelief.

''Well, some of us have jobs to do, you know. This suit...discovering what it can do is just a hobby,'' Charles returned.

''Hobby?! Charles, this discovery...this suit...it's probably the most significant discovery made in England, and you are confining the task of investigating its functions as a hobby! I thought you would be working on this night and day,'' Percival responded, surprised by Charles reaction.

''Unfortunately, this hobby doesn't pay very well. And if you wish for me to do my investigations, I am going to need the equipment to do so,'' Charles retaliated. Percival sighed, knowing Charles was right.

''All right, Charles. So, have you discovered anything it can do at all?'' Percival asked. Charles looked up at Percival and smiled.

''I did discover one thing,'' Charles replied. Percival's eyes lit up, eager to see what was in store. He waited with baited breath as Charles moved his right hand behind the suit's neck, and seemed to press something. Percival watched carefully while the darkened visor covering most of the face of the helmet drew back like curtains being parted, then the rest of the helmet began to split apart. Percival chuckled in joy and looked at Charles.

''Unbelievable! That is wonderful. What did you do?'' Percival asked.

''Come here,'' Charles commanded him with his finger to come to where he was looking. ''Just here, I found a small button of some sort. Once I press it in, it opens the helmet up. And...if I press it again...'' he said before he demonstrated reversing the process of opening the helmet, ''it closes back up,'' he finished.

''That is remarkable. I can't wait until you find out more,'' Percival said as he stared at the suit.

''Well you will have to wait. I have a lot of things to do Percival, and if we wish to keep this discovery to ourselves, I cannot raise suspicion as to my time being spent on it. Besides, I have all the time in the world to make my discoveries, there is no rush,'' Charles explained. Percival sighed in disappointment.

''I understand. Then...when is it possible to come back again?'' Percival asked.

''Well, if you and I wish not for anyone to find out about this yet, you should not come too often. Even if you tell others that you are somewhere else, I am sure someone is bound to ask questions. Come in next week or so, give a little time. I know you are eager, but we can both relax now that we have the suit here and no longer at Tuckerby Bay, where someone else could have discovered it,'' Charles reasoned. Percival looked unsure at first, but understood that he should follow Charles' instruction.

''Yes, I believe you are right. Anyway, I should get going now, Charles,'' Percival said as he started to leave.

''Oh, yes, have good day Percival,'' Charles said before he turned his attention back to the suit. As Percival walked towards the steps, he remembered something.

''Charles? I forgot to ask you. Did you notice the spot of blood on the side of the arm?'' Percival asked Charles. Charles looked up at him, then at the suit.

''Oh-oh no, I had not seen that. How did it get there?'' Charles responded. Percival shook his head.

''I'm not sure, but I have a feeling...it could belong to the previous owner of this suit,'' Percival commented. Charles looked up slowly at Percival.

''...Yes...it could have,'' he spoke. Percival then lightly shrugged and turned back around again.

''All right then, see you, Beller,'' Percival said before he left Charles alone.

''Good-bye, Baskergrand,'' Charles called back. He stared after him for a moment, before he looked down at the suit, his eyes narrowing in on the spot of blood on the arm.