Mysterious Bed and Breakfast in Bath: A Strange Encounter

The Young Man Billy's Journey to Bath

Billy, a 17-year-old young man, was traveling from London to Bath by train. Bath, a beautiful city, caught his attention. He was wearing a hat, an overcoat, and carrying a suitcase. As he felt tired, he tried to do everything as he had been asked.

On his way, he noticed a small sign that said 'Bed and Breakfast.' The room wasn't spacious, as it was a house owned by an old lady. Although he wanted to go to the hotel he was assigned, he decided to press the doorbell and a middle-aged lady opened the door. She was kind but seemed a little peculiar.

Billy took the room on the third floor. However, before he could unpack his belongings, the lady insisted that he sign the guest book. While signing it, he noticed two names that sounded familiar. Curious, he asked the lady about them. She explained that they had also stayed on the third floor and their names were Mulholand and Temple. They were good-looking young men, just like him. The lady seemed sad and mentioned that she had preserved the parrot and the dog. Billy was taken aback when he realized that the parrot and the dog were embalmed. He questioned the lady about it, and she admitted to doing it herself.

After a few minutes, Billy inquired if there had been any guests after Temple and Mulholand. The lady replied that there hadn't been any. She then offered him another cup of tea, but he declined as the tea tasted of bitter almonds. Billy couldn't help but wonder if the lady had intended to poison him.