When Lady Callaghan pulled Cornelia into a hug, Cornelia was stunned into silence. "I don't know how long I'd need you Miss....um...I'm Lady Callaghan....yourself? but I'd be happy to pay weekly. You can discuss it with my butler. But we must hurry away!" she exclaimed, pulling Cornelia by the hand outside to the carriage. 

"My name is Cornelia," she said as soon as she had a chance to catch her breath. Cornelia could only hope that Lady Enright would not come looking for her anytime soon. Besides, she technically [i]was[/i] gathering information about the masked murderer, albeit in an extremely unconventional way. And with another Technocrat. [i]Oh well,[/i] Cornelia thought. [i]Might as well see how much Lady Callaghan is offering. If she pays better than Lady Enright, I may as well just work full-time for her.[/i] Cornelia did not want to abandon Anne, but Cornelia would certainly stay in touch if she [i]did[/i] end up working full-time for Lady Callaghan, just as she had with Wilhelmina and Lottie and Sebastian. 

Inside the carriage, Lady Callaghan chattered on. There was also a young man in a worn suit with a bird automaton. "My, what an interesting quest we go on. It rather reminds me of those murder mysteries that Earl James Esquire writes. Fascinating stuff, his writings are so free, you can just relax into his worlds..." Lady Callaghan remarked dreamily. Cornelia simply made a faint noise of agreement. She had never heard of this Earl James Esquire, and she couldn't read. It wasn't like she had any [i]time[/i] to read either. And real life was certainly not a murder mystery. Lady Callaghan seemed like she had her head in the clouds, a sharp contrast to Cornelia, who had her feet planted firmly on the ground. 

After about fifteen minutes or so, the carriage pulled to a stop. They were now in a poorer part of the city, just a stone's throw away from the slums that Cornelia had grown up in. "I hope you don't mind that I brought a few 'friends' along for the ride" the man said as another carriage pulled up behind them, filled with steamdroids. "I thought they might prove useful in certain situations," he elaborated. Cornelia let the man and Lady Callaghan disembark before climbing out of the carriage herself, pushing a few strands of blonde hair out of her face as she did so. She followed them into the Rump and Harrow, a bar that Cornelia had not visited in ages. She had worked as a barmaid there in between jobs before, and gotten into quite a few close calls with drunkards. Just the memories of them made her skin crawl. 

As the trio made their way into the bar, a hush fell over the normally rambunctious patrons, likely due to the fact that Lady Callaghan had just walked in. "EVELYN!" a loud voice called out, and Cornelia watched as the red-haired Technocrat was pulled into a bear hug by who she assumed to be the current owner of the bar. The man asked about Cornelia and the man who had brought the steamdroids, and Lady Callaghan that Cornelia was there to help her find the masked murderer. However, she couldn't seem to come up with a good reason for why the other man was there, and she seemed to be getting quite flustered about it as well.

"That magnificent bastard needs no introduction here, Evelyn," the man said, chuckling at Lady Callaghan's apparent difficulty in elaborating why the man who had brought the steamdroids was accompanying her. "Everyone at The Rump and Harrow knows Jacoby Drexlehand and Sir Geoffrey the Impeccable when they see them. And considering you're at a loss for words trying to explain his presence, I have a feeling I know why you brought him with you," he continued. 

Jacoby Drexlehand responded amicably to the man-Mortimer-before the steamdroids made their entrance. After the initial staring, most of the patrons had gone back to what they were doing before. Cornelia shot Lady Callaghan a meaningful look, nodding slightly at her before immersing herself in the rowdy bar atmosphere. Hopefully, none of the patrons had paid any mind to her when they had walked in. And Cornelia had noticed a familiar head of black curls as she entered. 

"Willa, are you just too pretty for all of those filthy bastards tonight?" Cornelia asked in a lightly teasing voice, walking up to Wilhelmina Sullivan, who was sitting alone in a corner, a drink in front of her. Wilhelmina turned at the sound of Cornelia's voice, a wide grin breaking out on her face.

Wilhelmina pulled Cornelia into a hug, and Cornelia sank into it, savoring the moment. "Corny, it's so good to see you again," she whispered, addressing Cornelia by her childhood nickname. As usual, Wilhelmina was ravishing, even in her plain clothing. "And no, I have tonight off," she continued with a laugh. "My goodness, it's been much too long. How have you been? What brings you to the Rump and Harrow?"

"I've been well. Lady Enright is probably the best employer that I've had yet," Cornelia admitted. "And, well, I'm here with Lady Callaghan." Cornelia cast a furtive glance around the crowded bar. She lowered her voice before speaking again. "Listen, Willa, I was working during a ball at the Lightfeather estate, and a man wearing a mask came and blew the place up. Then, he killed Earl Lightfeather, saying that he was guilty of oppressing the proles or whatever, and left. Does this sound familiar at all to you?"

Wilhelmina's eyes widened. "Oh, Cornelia, are you alright?"

"Yes, Willa, I'm perfectly fine. But do you know anything at all about this whole situation?"

Wilhelmina pursed her dainty lips, furrowing her brow in thought. She shook her head slowly. "I think I have heard a few clients talking about the deaths of some powerful Technocrats lately, but other than that I cannot say."

Cornelia nodded. "Thanks anyway, Willa. Would you mind keeping an eye out for me?"

"You know that I would do anything for you, Cornelia. Is that all [i]you[/i] know as well? I kind of like the sound of that-Technocrats being punished for oppressing proles."

Cornelia shrugged. "I've no idea what this is all about either. And I think that it's too good to be true, but I guess we shall see. I'll see you later, okay Willa?"

"Definitely. Take care, now," Wilhelmina replied.

"You too." And with one last quick hug, Cornelia was off. She wove her way through the crowd and back to Lady Callaghan's side.