Christmas Eve at the Jackdaw’s

[Annabelle Herschel]

Annabelle rushes down the stairs and quickly as her feet can carry her.

"I'll get the door!" She calls to Jackdaw as she rushes past him, assuming they are still cleaning, yet not paying that much attention.

Annabelle puts on her best elegant innocent girl face before opening the door.

"Mrs Saunders residence." She calls as the door opens.

She stops suddenly at the presence of Mr Wolfe. A smile spreads across her face.

"Someone is early."

[Mrs K. Saunders]

Katherine sits for a moment in her room. She has made a decision, one thing may actually help. There is a small glimmer of hope. Right if the police are arriving, she needs to clean herself up. She washes her face for what must be the third time tonight and goes back downstairs.

[Malfice Wolfe]

Marcus smiles at Annabelle as she opens the door to the fancy property and bows low.
“Miss Herschel it is a pleasure to see you again” He replies the smile on his face wide and genuine. “ Alas I know I’m early but I happened to have some free time and decided to drop some small gifts off to people of my acquaintance. Is Mrs Saunders around as I have a small gift for her?”

Marcus grins as he drops a wink to Annabelle as he stands waiting for either an invite in or for The lady of the house to come to the door.

[Jerome Price]

Having watched the carriage rattle down the street carrying the little bundle of trouble away for the evening, Jerome will turn and watch Annabelle greeting Marcus at the door. He'd only seen the individual in passing at Elysium, but he seemed well-mannered and polite. The two seem quite familiar, that much was clear from their body language and so Jerome reasoned that this was likely Annabelle's escort arriving fashionably late.

Jerome's avoids staring at the interaction at the front door, instead pulling a small book from his pocket and leafing through a pages while waiting for the two at the door to finish so that he can ascend the steps and find Christine.

[Annabelle Herschel]

Annabelle's face seems deep in thought, a smile suddenly spreads across her face.

"The lady of the house said you are allowed to enter," her smile becomes the cheeky grin Mr Wolfe knows well "if you are willing to behave that is." She moves away from the door to allow Mr Wolfe to enter.

"I apologise for any mess inside, it appears you missed all the excitement."

[Mrs K. Saunders]

Katherine tentatively comes down the stairs into the hallway. She looks over at her husband who seems to be completely absorbed in cleaning down the walls of blood.

“Good evening Mr Wolfe, I understand you are here to kindly escort Miss Herschel home? I do not believe she is leaving just yet, so are welcome to come in and wait. Feel free to have a drink, or even some food if you wish”

She walks over to Jackdaw, “I’m sorry. Why do you put up with me? Constance and I had an argument earlier and it has left me defensive. She suggested that I was not fit to look after a child. Forgive me.”

[Trevor Jackdaw]

He turns around, takes her in his arms and kisses her deeply. He whispers in his ear. ''I'm smart enough to know when your really angry at someone else. I'm sorry I wasn't smart enough to curb my actions though. You are my world.'' And not missing a beat goes back to cleaning.

[Mrs K. Saunders]

“Thank you, Jack. Don’t get too angry with Constance will you? I think I have managed to settle things between us.” Hopefully that will stop him asking what the problem is.

She smiles at Annabelle and gestures to both her and Mr Wolfe to enter the drawing room where most of the other guests are.

[Malfice Wolfe]

Marcus raises an eyebrow briefly at Annabelle’s expression before smiling to himself. After being invited in he steps in and offers a respectful nod to Eldar Jackdaw who seemed to be cleaning up after a fight or something had happened.
“My my. I seemed to have missed quite the Party.!” He exclaims as he looks about.
As Katherine invites him into the drawing room , Marcus holds out the gifts he has brought with a warm and genuine smile.
“As I am new to the area I thought it best to deliver these personally as a minir token of my esteem and good wishes.” With that Marcus places the two boxes he had brought on the table and left them there as he moved to stand closer to Annabelle.

[Mrs K. Saunders]

“Thank you Mr Wolfe, we were certainly not expecting any gifts from yourself.”

She unwraps the parcel marking with her name and discovers a set of purple silk napkins with accompanying gold rings.
She smiles, “what a perfect gift for my new home. Very thoughtful.”

She walks over to the Christmas tree and collects two small parcels. She passes a green and silver present to Mr Wolfe and a gold and red one to Annabelle.

“For you. Apologies that I had not given you yours earlier Annabelle, I was distracted on your arrival. I hope you like it.”