Day 95: 10 February 2026

 Short Story -- Monkshood Manor: Part 25

Well this is a new development, thought Teddy. Quickly followed by her thinking, and how are we going to explain it?!

‘What’s goin’ on here!’ the man bellowed, turning angrily.

‘We don’t take kindly to people letting themselves in,’ Mrs Winter said calmly. ‘The police have been called. And we will be keeping you company until they arrive.’

Teddy wondered if Mrs Winter was telling the truth or bluffing her way through.

‘Mr Drey will be awaiting their arrival and showing them here,’ Mrs Winter continued. ‘And please,’ she added with a wicked grin, ‘I dare you to try us.’

The man looked at both of them. At Mrs Winter who wasn’t overly large, or even holding a weapon that he could see, but seemed extremely confident that she could take him. At Teddy who seemed less confident and also didn’t have a weapon he could see.

‘You’re mad,’ he said angrily. ‘Let me out. NOW!’

Mrs Winter bustled over to the stove and put in a kettle, unperturbed.

Teddy took a closer look at the man. There was something slightly familiar about him. His baring? His voice?

‘What did you say your name was again?’ Teddy queried, knowing full well that he had never told them.

‘You’re not hiring, so I don’t owe you anything,’ the man sulked.

‘What made you try for a job here?’ she tried.

‘I’ve been to all the houses on the road. I need work,’ he said.

Teddy figured that’d be an easily enough checked fact. But she also had a hunch he was lying or at least not telling the full truth.

Mrs Winter saw Teddy was wearing her thinking face and turned to the man, piping hot kettle in hand, ‘You’d best not be lying to us.’

‘Yours is the first place I’ve stopped,’ he said eying the kettle.

‘There’s something familiar about you…’ Teddy said quietly. She wasn’t sure if she was looking for him to answer or just thinking aloud to herself.

‘Ridiculous,’ the man sneered.

Teddy’s eyes widened.

And it was just then that Mr Drey entered from the dining room.

The man seeing his opportunity to flee sprinted across the room, shoving a surprised Mr Drey as he passed him.

‘What the…?’ Mr Drey said.

But Teddy was sprinting after the man and Mrs Winter was running after her. Mr Drey quickly followed suit.

Assuming he’d run to the front door to try and make his escape, that’s the direction Teddy ran. But when she — and the other two arrived — he wasn’t there. And the door was still closed.

Crash!

Three heads swivelled towards the study.

Running that way, they were sad to see the glass doors had been smashed. And the man wasn’t in sight.

The house practically wailed and growled simultaneously.

‘I’ve missed something,’ Mr Drey said.

Teddy filled him in while Mrs Winter phoned the police.

When she returned to the study, she looked at Teddy. ‘You saw something, dear. What was it?’

‘Well, I can’t be sure,’ Teddy answered, ‘But I’m convinced that was Lord Tottington in a disguise!’