Thread: Dresses and Derangement (Shikokudarkstar & Charlie_Death)

Thorben didn't speak much when they boarded their ride, he wanted their conversation to only be discussed between them and no one else. He didn't want someone to overhear all that had to be said. It seemed that the main reason he wanted to talk to Thomas was on both of their minds, which should make things easier. When they arrived at his home, he took Thomas's hat and coat, hanging them up before directing him to his study. He had left his coat in the entrance but tucked the book into his back pocket before meeting Thomas in the study. Unlike Thomas and Arabella, he had no servants. He didn't want to lose his privacy nor have someone being nosey. He couldn't afford to get caught by help. He sat at his desk and watched the other man, trying to determine where to start. There was more than just proposals that needed to be said. However he was not expecting such a sudden rejection. He wanted to grab the man by the collar and demand that he change his mind. He needed Arabella in his life. Only she was able to offer some form of sanity in his mad world. However, the man's explanation only added little comfort. He was the farthest thing from happy when he heard that he was suspected of murder. He didn't like that he slipped up but he ran over the murder in his head. His reputation was golden, he fit into society perfectly where the only rumors was on his past and wealth, nothing related to violence. The murder was out of sight and no one found the body. There was no witnesses or evidence that would tie him to it, anything would be circumstantial. So that meant, Thomas only thinks that because of who the victim was. It is still considered rumor that he is courting Miss Lamb, no one has a definite answer quite yet. After thinking it through, he was confident that even though he was suspected, that it wasn't the authorities that thought so and that he could easily get away with it. Besides, he wouldn't be sent to the mad house for a single murder. The method was different from when he burgled those that offended him or from the Ripper victims. There would be no connection to his finer works. All this did was instill a sense of respect for Thomas. It had to be dangerous to tell a man he suspected of murder, especially to one where the body is yet to be found. When he saw that Thomas was getting to leave, he stood up. Wait. Thorben walked to the bookcase that lined the wall behind his desk and removed a few of the books. He pushed back a false panel and pulled out a single article of clothing. He rarely kept trophies, but this killing was special. It was over a woman after all. He began to speak as he was putting everything back into it's place carefully, back still turned to Thomas. He knew he was there because he did not hear the door open, it was a rather noisy door that needed oil on its hinges. There is something I must confess to you, that is only mildly unrelated to your sister. I could not find myself to forgive you for what you had done. In fact, I had planned to kill you. He turned around, face blank and emotionless as he walked over. However, I have come to respect you, albeit it was not an easy road to come to. I had first encountered your sister the day I had planned to take your life. Really, you have her to thank for you still breathing. He stepped in front of the door and locked it. Please don't be frightened of me, just hear me out. He could see how tense the man became, after all, it would unsettle anyone to hear that they were going to be murdered. My thoughts on you that night we first met was that the world was going to be better off without such a drunk scoundrel. You seemed to be violent, unhinged and confrontational while lacking all control. I feared that you were a danger to society. After all, you may have been the killer in the streets. You after all, proclaimed how much you hated the wealthy and there have been a number of murders where the wealthy have been slain in their own homes. I couldn't risk you slipping away from the authorities so I thought it fit to clean the streets myself. I had lived on those same streets as a boy, abandoned and knew that sometimes the criminal gets away with his crime. It was all a lie, but he had learned to lie for so long, he doubted the man could pick up on it. As for the man that assaulted your sister... He held up the bloodied tie, stiffened in it's neat fold. I murdered him. This is the only thing that will tie me to his death. He held it out to him, staring Thomas in the eyes. I may have met your sister in such bizarre circumstances but what I feel... I cannot help. I feel complete with her around. I wanted to be at her side and after her assault, I want to protect her in any way I can, even if I risk imprisonment. We live in such a mad world these days, no woman is safe. You, at least understand that. We both want nothing more than her safety. It is your protectiveness of Miss Lamb, your defense of her honor at the expense of your own good name, that aided me in respecting you. I have severely misjudged you when we met, something that I deeply, from the depth of my heart, regret. I hope you can find it in your heart to come to forgive me for my short sightedness and my unorthodox ways. He looked away and pulled the book from his back pocket. It was a paperbound manuscript, hand written. 'The Art of Boxing' by Daniel Mendoza. I had wanted to give you this, it wasn't easy to come by. I had hoped you would appreciate it, as a gift from a potential extension of your family. The man was a renowned boxer, back when it became illegal. He was poor and rose to wealth with his skill in fighting. This is one of the first, if not the original manuscript he had published on boxing. Given your skill in a fight, I thought you would appreciate it. He took a deep breath and waited for the man to digest all that he said. If all else fails, he might just have to kill him, but he really didn't want to do that, he was coming around to appreciate his sense of honor and daring for suspecting him of a murder most gruesome.