Leaving the garden behind, you make your way along the mansion's perimeter fence, your gloved fingers running along the wrought iron bars to test their stability. Each post stands firm, their pointed finials gleaming in the sunlight - except for one near the eastern corner where the metal shows fresh scratches and slight warping. Someone has clearly attempted to force their way through.

Crouching down, you notice tufts of coarse black fur caught on the jagged metal edges. The scent lingering in the air is unmistakable - tomcat musk mixed with something wilder, like the smell of alleyways after midnight. A quick inspection reveals three separate weak points where the fence has been tested recently.

As you stand, your shadow falls across a small object half-buried in the grass. Brushing aside the blades reveals a tarnished silver bell, the kind that might hang from a fancy collar. The clapper has been removed to silence it. The engraved initials 'D.B.' mean nothing to you, but the discovery sends a chill down your spine. Whatever cats have been visiting Lady Whiskerton's domain, they came prepared and purposeful.

The distant sound of shattering porcelain from inside the mansion snaps you to attention. That came from her Ladyship's wing. Without hesitation, you pocket the strange bell and break into a run, your polished shoes slipping slightly on the dewy grass as you hurry back toward the house.