<div class="floatright">(http://imgur.com/3hgsLSS.jpg)</div>Malcyn had just managed to get the maid to a place where she could let the pent up emotions out when a woman appeared in the doorway, introducing herself as Lady Kaczmarek. "Malcyn de Toraille," he replied politely, assuming she required medical assistance. "I am a doctor, yes." When she stated the reason for her visit, he fell silent, shaking his head. Coming to his feet, he walked to the table and poured some water for the sobbing maid before sitting down again. "You are the woman from the courtyard," he stated. Realizing there had been quite a few ladies present, he smiled faintly. "The one who spoke with the guards."<br/><br/>Before he could make a proper reply, the other woman, Viviane, burst forward and the young man's jawline tensed. He did not appreciate strangers coming into his room uninvited and while he might make an exception for beautiful women eager to share his bed, those circumstances didn't currently apply. When she started speaking, he flicked a swift, concerned look to the crying girl seated in his chair.<br/><br/>"Madame, this is not the time..." he warned, willing her to shut up while the shaken woman was present. The maid while nothing more than a servant, easily ignored and undeserving of compassion in the eyes of many noble born was his patient - even if her wounds were not of the flesh and would heal given time - and she deserved better than getting treated to a full recount of the gory details.<br/><br/>Since throwing the woman out of his room would create even more turmoil, and the damage had been done, Malcyn resigned himself to listen, his expression stern. It was hard to tell which part of her story was speculation and which was reality, but after some thought he combed the knots out of the tale; the parts about Anais seemed based on her own experience, while the last part where she spoke of Casimiro seemed little more than speculation. If the woman's tale was true, then Anais had suffered a terrible fate and Malcyn felt regret for Casimiro and his bride; to have this happen on their wedding day seemed so very cruel.<br/><br/>When she accused the guards of ineptitude, Malcyn frowned, recalling the scene at the courtyard. He had thought the captain would have been pleased to have a doctor at his side, but he could appreciate the thought that the man had been reluctant to draft a wedding guest into a murder investigation. "The captain seems a capable man," he replied with conviction. "His first concern had to be to keep the guests away from the site. Between curiosity and panic, who knows what might happen? It would only complicate their work," he pointed out reasonably. "He is doing his job, and considering the relative calm when I left, he and his men are doing it well.<br/><br/>"I offered my assistance," he replied when she mentioned needing a doctor. "The captain will know where to find me if he wants my professional opinion, but hearing your recount, the cause of death seems clear." As did the circumstances that had led up to her death, but Malcyn did not voice those thoughts out loud. There was no need to further upset the maid by dwelling on the torture Casimiro's bride had suffered. "We will not go into that room unless and until the guards allow us there," he stated firmly. "Everyone here is a friend of either Anais or Casimiro. What if they all decide to just rush in and look for clues because they don't trust others. We can offer our aid, but attempting to go behind the Captain's back will achieve nothing but sow distrust between yourself and those who would help you."<br/><br/>He followed her with his gaze when she stood, and wondered why she had arrived in his room in a state of partial undress. Had she not come from the murder site? Considering her appearance, he could hazard a guess as to what she had done there, and he did not like it much. While he had no objection to people taking lovers, frolicking with the bride on her wedding day seemed bad form.<br/><br/>"I am sure you will find clothing more fitting to your size and preferences in your own room, Madame," he replied, polite as ever. "I suggest you go and find it. Once you are properly dressed, we may debate finding the good captain to see if we can come to an arrangement." He glanced to the maid. "We will see to it that everything is done to find the culprit and bring them to justice."<br/>