Cleanly Executed featuring Sir Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington
1.
"We do not torture our prisoners, Citizen Daggauseau," Chauvelin informed the pinioned captive in a calm, polite tone. "We simply negotiate with them. Now, if Citizen would be so kind as to tell us what we would like to know, this good citizen here -- " Chauvelin gestured to the guard beside him, "--will remove the fork from your forehead."
Leon could only manage a slight moan. "Cousins of yours, a family of four, were to be placed under arrest yesterday, under suspicion of treason," Chauvelin continued. "A family of aristos, citizen. They were obviously informed as to the impending danger by someone with inside information -- you -- and are now hiding somewhere in the city. Citizen Daggauseau," Chauvelin said with polite sarcasm, "pray tell, where are they?"
The guard greedily eyed the entire plate of eating utensils before him. Leon braced himself. He would hold out...for their sake...
Miles away, a short, stocky gentleman had made his way, unannounced, into Blakeney Manor. Avoiding servants like one accustomed to house-breaking, the gentleman removed a file from his coat, sawed off the doorknob to Blakeney's study, and entered. He avoided the eerie blue gaze of the life-size portrait of Blakeney's mother which leaned against the wall. There was something about that painting which unnerved him. The gentleman went immediately to the desk, only to find each drawer was individually locked. Damn! Apparently only Blakeney held those keys...but he had made enough of a disturbance already. He began to saw the top drawer open.
"Intruder!" a woman's voice called sharply. The gentleman could have sworn the portrait had spoken, but that couldn't be. The late Lady Blakeney only gazed at him with that same eerie smile.
"Intruder!" the voice said again. "Step away from there! Noone enters these rooms without permission."
There was enough space between the portrait and the wall for a person to stand. The gentleman poked his head behind it. Shaking, he fled the room as fast as his feet could carry him.