Baskergrand The Nautilus

The next day, Percival was at his home, sitting in the drawing room in the afternoon, absorbed in thought over the object he saw at Tuckerby Bay yesterday. Valerie and Millicent had not stayed the night, and was dropped off at their abode after dinner yesterday.

'The weather is looking better now, I should venture out to Tuckerby Bay again before supper and investigate what that foreign object is,' Percival resolved inwardly. At that moment, his mother and father entered the room; his mother was dressed in a cream and peach dress, with a beige bonnet covering her pinned up hair, and his father was wearing his navy blue morning coat over white trousers and a cream waistcoat.

''Percival, we are off to town. We need some things for the ball next Saturday,'' his mother announced while she was slipping on a pair of cream gloves.

''It is not a need to get more evening gowns, my dear. You have enough,'' his father told her off. Percival chuckled lightly.

''No I do not! Besides, I need more colours, I wear the same bright ones all the time,'' Victoria defended.

''That all being good for you, Mother, but why are you going with her, Father? Surely the trip would bore you,'' Percival quipped.

''Yes, I dare say it would. But thankfully, I have business to attend to. I need to see Longham about the railway business. I tell you, the folks in London are very ''future thinking'' in terms of transport,'' Alfred responded.

''Yes. Very soon they will no longer need horse-drawn carriages to take them places. They will have to ride themselves,'' Percival said.

''Oh, perish the thought, Percy!'' Victoria bemoaned. Alfred and Percival chortled to themselves.

''Anyway, we must leave now so that we can be back in time for dinner. What are you going to do today, Percy?'' his mother asked. Percival stood up so that he could show them out.

''Oh, I might go out for a little walk. The weather is better today,'' Percival replied, without saying much of his true intentions.

''All right, then, I will see you soon. Bye, darling,'' Victoria said before she kissed her son on each cheek.

''Good bye, Mother, Father,'' Percival returned.

''Bye, son,'' his father dismissed before he and Victoria both turned and left the room. A servant followed them out to the hallway and opened the door for them. Percival waved to them as they entered a horse-drawn carriage. They were pulling away from the house as one of the servants closed the door.

'Right, I should get ready to leave myself,' Percival thought before he went upstairs to his room.

''Parsons! Are you up here?'' he called up as he journeyed up the staircase. Parsons came to the top of the stairs and looked down at Percival.

''Yes, Master Percival. What would you like?'' Parsons responded gently.

''I wish to go out for a little while. Not too far. But I would like my riding boots prepared, and my black morning coat. I am going to bathe now. Is that all right?'' Percival ordered as he came face to face with his servant.

''Yes, Master. Is there anything else?'' Parsons queried.

''No, that will be all, thank you, Parsons,'' Percival said, walking to his room.

''Very well, Sir. The maids will have the bath set very shortly,'' Parsons said before he left.

''Good, thank you,'' Percival said before he opened his room door and got undressed for his bath.

* * *

''Parsons! Where did you put my riding boots?'' Percival yelled, coming down the stairs as he slipped on a pair of black gloves.

''Right here, sir,'' Parsons answered meekly as he held them up to Percival when he reached the foot of the staircase.

''Ah, thank you, Parsons. I thought you were still upstairs,'' Percival said, taking the boots and proceeding to put them on.

''I was ready and waiting for you, Master,'' Parsons said.

''Very well,'' Percival said as he straightened up. ''Mozart ready?'' he asked his servant while he headed to the door.

''Ready and waiting as well, sir,'' Parsons answered with a smile. Percival turned to smile at him.

''I'll be back before dinner. I will see you later, Parsons,'' Percival said.

''Have a good afternoon, sir,'' Parsons replied before he turned and left him.

'Right, I'm ready to go!' Percival thought before he opened the door. As he opened it, he was stunned to see a person standing in front of him. A man was standing still, his hand in the air as if he were about to knock the door. The man had light blonde hair, blue eyes, and was as tall as Percival. He was also wearing a black morning coat, with a beige waistcoat, purple cravat and white trousers with black shoes.

''...Garth...Mason...?'' Percival gasped when he saw the man.

''Hello, dear friend. How have you been?'' the man responded with a smile.