“Kris, there’s something in the— oh“ Lu Han regained his posture after seeing a visitor, it was a rare occurrence for the Wellesley house to have any guest at all knowing Lu Han had lived there for almost three months now.

“Hello there” the woman was around their age as Lu Han deducted. She wasn’t that much younger or older than him and her mannerisms are of careful gestures. Other than that, the only thing that bothers him is how she’s dressed. It wasn’t the normal lady dresses or the typical corsets, she’s wearing tailcoat and shorts. It was unethical for a lady to expose her skin and to top it all off, her hair is cut short just like a man.

“Hello” Lu Han returned the gesture “Pardon me for my attitude earlier” he apologized.

“Lu Han, this is my cousin Amber” Kris spoke in a cool tone “Amber, this is my valet Lu Han”

“Valet” Amber emphasized the word while eyeing Kris but she immediately smiled and turned to Lu Han “Nice to meet you, Han” she beamed.

Lu Han bowed as a courtesy “It’s a pleasure, my lady”

Amber smiled.

“She’s going to help us” Kris stated

Lu Han raised a brow “Is there something going to happen that I am not aware of, young master?”

“My uncle sent me a telegram last night” Kris explained “He invited us to come to his party as a celebration of his commemoration at the Edinburgh Palace tonight”

“And that includes me?” Lu Han pointed at himself

“You’re enlisted as an important guest” Kris said blatantly.

Lu Han eyed him cautiously. He didn’t tell them my identity, right?

“And no, I didn’t. Don’t ask any more questions” Kris returned the gesture.

“So” Amber intervened “he’s the one I’ll be working on, I presume?”

Kris only nodded in response.

“Working with what?” Lu Han intervened.

“Come” as Amber dragged Lu Han out of the room “Show me the guest room”

“Pardon me but I believe I at least deserve to know what is happening if it involves me” Lu Han asked in a confused tone.

“Oh, you don’t have to worry” Amber smiled “Kris is very fond of you”

Lu Han raised a brow “Young master is entertaining himself from my misery” as he turned to Amber “I have a bad feeling about this”

“How long have you been employed?”

“Almost three months” Lu Han replied.

“Really?” Amber sounded surprised “You haven’t known each other before then?”

“I don’t recall any memory of that”

“You two seem very close”

Lu Han eyed the lady beside him “I don’t think young master would be very pleased to hear that”

“And I don’t think so” Amber shrugged “After all, I heard you called him by his first name”

Lu Han gulped, he didn’t think she’d remember it “I-I think you heard me wrong, my lady” he smiled awkwardly. He couldn’t tell her Kris just asked him to, it would only lead to her knowing how he failed— almost killed her cousin.

“Okay, you said it” Amber Shrugged.

When they arrived at the guest room, Amber handed Lu Han a large golden box with an engraving ‘L Tailoring’ and a black ribbon wrapped around it “I want you to wear this”

Lu Han eyed the large box suspiciously “What for?”

“For the party, I’m a tailor and my dear cousin asked me to make you a new set of clothes” Amber responded. “Go change and tell me what you think”

The male sighed in defeat “Very well” failing to see the other’s sneer.

“Are we really going to see Anise Le Rou and Mary Eliza Guttenberg?” Rhys grinned excitedly.

Duncan sighed “Yes, yes we are but” as he eyed his junior dangerously “It’s a job”

“Ah, just imagining Mary Eliza singing her heart out with her angelic voice just makes me want to fall in love” Theo was in trance.

Harrison and Yi Xing could not help but snicker at the junior’s hopelessness. “Come on” Yi Xing tried to stifle his laugh “As if she wants to talk with the likes of you”

“Hey” Theo defended “Don’t crush an Englishman’s dream you foreigner”

“I most certainly am not” Yi Xing mocked “Learn the basics of knowing foreigners, idiot”

“You’re Asian” Theo raised his tone in a proud manner.

Yi Xing rolled his eyes “I was born and raised in England, stupid”

“Now, now” Harrison intervened “your childish acts will only ridicule Scotland Yard so enough with the chatter and go to work”

Moran giggled “You sound like my ol’ man”

“Quiet” Duncan spoke. “We are to guard these ladies and protect them from whatever unpleasant incidents that may occur”

“What is this play all about again?” questioned Harrison.

“Love’s Labour’s Lost by William Shakespeare”

“Tell me a good reason why does it have to be a dress?”

“It suits you” Kris tried to stifle his laugh but failed miserably

Amber elbowed his cousin whispering “He looks good in it”

“I never thought you could laugh” Lu Han responded sarcastically “What’s with the get up? Or are you just making fun of me?”

“No, of course not” but Kris could not hide his smile.

Lu Han gave Kris a disgusted look “I didn’t know you are into this. I’m out”

Kris cleared his throat “It’s an order”

“I don’t care if you’re my employer but this is too—“

“From the Prime Minister, my uncle”

Lu Han knew from Kris’ tone he was serious. Albeit this was an order, to dress as a woman is still absurd. “Pray tell”

“The Prime Minister directly consulted me about this matter. His niece, a famed actress, is one of the performers of the Shakespearean play called Love’s Labour’s Lost in Edinburgh Palace— for his commemoration” Kris spoke “The Parliament is now aware of the growing attention Jack the Ripper is making and he is quite afraid that something may happen to her at the said opera. Thus, he invited me to come and watch”

Lu Han raised his brow “With the condition of?”

Kris sighed “He will not inform the Queen about the bodies we played with”

“Just wait a minute there you two. What bodies?” Amber intervened but Kris shrugged her off saying if she doesn’t shut up he’ll make her wear a girl’s clothing.

“I see” Lu Han smiled in astonishment “You have connections from the inside”

“I have connections everywhere”

“Why did you accept it” Lu Han looked at Kris, eyes unwavering “there is something more about this, isn’t there?”

Kris only replied with a smile “I only wish to be entertained” and before leaving the room, he turned to Amber “continue with the touch ups” as she nodded in response and Lu Han’s eyes were still in disbelief.

“Hurry, hurry! The show is about to start” as Theo dragged Harrison into the entrance.

“Blast!” Duncan scowled when his cigarette fell and as the group sped up. “Gregory, if you don’t stop this instance I will suspend you for negligence”

Moran patted the old man’s back “Let the kid go, it’s the art of love”

Duncan shook his head in disapproval but he knows he couldn’t do anything; the kid was already inside with the rest of them.

Theo was in awe as soon as he entered the palace “We just made it in time” he hurried in to take a closer look at his beloved actress on stage but instead bumped with a golden haired lady. She was a beauty that Theo even forgot about his beloved. Her red and black lacy gown complimented her pale porcelain skin and her golden hair gave emphasis to her beautiful brown orbs, he was in trance. Her rosy cheeks were of the same colour of her plump lips and Theo can’t help but observe more of the gem in front of him.

She made him speechless.

Theo was stuck in a moment’s time before he realized he should apologize and maybe ask for her name but as soon as the realization struck him, her golden locks was already a few feet away and her figure slowly disappeared in the crowd.

“What’s wrong?” Moran elbowed the younger.

“I saw a goddess” and before he turned around to get back to the group, he spotted a black handkerchief of the ground. He immediately picked it up before somebody could step on it. There, in the handkerchief were initials written in gold letters ‘A.L.’

It must belong to her, she might have dropped it. He thought.

“But of course, your beloved Mary Eliza just started singing” Moran stated

Theo’s eyes widened “What?” as he turned around and saw his beloved singing beautifully on stage while giving her lines passionately but the thought of the golden haired lady remained in his head for the entire performance.

“Kris, my nephew!”

Kris turned around to see the source of the voice and smiled immediately “Good evening uncle”

“I’ve been searching for you the whole evening” The Prime Minister beamed.

After the performance, Kris asked Lu Han to retrieve something while he tries to keep a low profile.

He hates crowds.

Standing on the corner didn’t help him go unnoticed, some tried to start a conversation and some tried to ask him to dance which he successfully declined and the ladies left with a disappointed look on their powdered faces. Some even recognized him but he shrugged it off as they don’t create a ruckus inside.

“Same goes for me” he again faked another smile “I’ve been meaning to congratulate you for your commemoration”

“Silly boy, there’s no need for that but thank you” the older man laughed and patted Kris’ back “Oh, before I forget, I want you to meet someone” as he called a woman behind him who was talking to another lady.

That must be his daughter, Mary Eliza. Kris thought as the brunette lady approached both men.

“I believe you haven’t met yet. Mary Eliza, this is Marquis Kristoff Wellesley, you cousin” the lady called Mary Eliza performed a curtsy “And Kris, this is my daughter Mary Eliza” he continued and Kris returned the gesture by bowing.

“You were beautiful tonight, my lady” Kris watched the lady’s cheek flushing red and her eyes sparkled in flattery.

“Thank you” she managed to whisper.

“I didn’t know you easily have your way with women, boy” Lord Guttenberg stated jokingly which made his daughter blush even more.

“No such thing, uncle” Kris replied and his eyes immediately caught someone “Is that the rumoured Anise Le Rou?”

“Ah, yes” Mary Eliza replied “she’s my co-actress”

Anise Le Rou was a blonde with slender body, same body type as Mary Eliza perhaps. She had brown eyes though in contrast to Mary Eliza’s green ones and the way she spoke with her companions was different than the shy Mary Eliza, Anise spoke with confidence. Kris carefully observed the difference between the two to vary them from each other.

One thing Kris is weak of is familiarizing the faces of women who almost look the same. But he carried this out by comparing each of their characteristics and observing the difference in small details. That is how he’s able to classify them labelling Mary Eliza as Girl A and Anise as Girl B.

Kris was in the middle of his deduction when Lord Guttenberg interrupted his thoughts “I take it you are not engaged yet, boy?”

“Pardon?” Kris was able to hide his annoyance immediately after being interrupted

Lord Guttenberg cleared his throat “I see that you and my daughter are developing a good relationship despite having met for the first time”

Mary Eliza widened her eyes “Father, this is too sudden”

“My daughter’s coming of age ceremony will be in a few weeks from now and I wish to see to it that she be entrusted to a good man” Lord Guttenberg paused in order for Kris to fully understand the situation “I want you to marry my daughter”