Mr. Best is the name used by the incarnation of Death when he appears to mortals. A soft-spoken, well-dressed man, he is quite ordinary-looking, but his powers are vast. He is impervious to attack, he can stop a person from aging, even bring the dead back to life. In spite of his great powers, he prefers to make things pleasant for the souls entering the afterlife, and feels terribly wounded by legends and stories that portray him as an evil, nasty figure. The first place a soul goes after death is the "stopping-off place" - Mr. Best's comfortable little hotel, haunted by the memories of those who have come and gone. How long they remain there before moving on is completely up to him.
Long ago, Mr. Best realized that in order to do his job effectively, he had to steel himself against human emotion. Boredom, however, was one thing he could not escape, so to relieve the tedium of immortality, he occasionally allowed a soul that interested him a chance to escape to the outside world. Though the way was dangerous, one could escape Death if they were brave and cunning. Whether anyone actually succeeded, though, is unknown. Loneliness was also unavoidable, and perhaps this is why he had the soul of a young Cockney man serving as a bellboy in his hotel. But in the late nineteenth-century, the stoic Mr. Best fell victim to the most insidious of mortal emotions - love.
It is unclear how Mr. Best became aware of Amanda Harris (maybe her unusual origin had something to do with it), but he obviously followed her life closely. Her beauty and situation tugged at his naturally romantic heart. So when she tried to end her life prematurely in 1897 by jumping from a bridge, Mr. Best tried to stop her, ready to offer her a chance at happiness. Unfortunately, she was blinded by grief at losing her true love, Quentin Collins, and she leapt into the river before he could explain. Luckily his position gave him a second chance, for of course her spirit soon arrived in the lobby of his 'hotel'. There he made her a deal that broke the strict rules he followed. He gave her the opportunity to live out the remainder of her natural life. Knowing that Quentin would not age over the years because of the intervention of Count Petofi, he also told her that she would stay as young and beautiful as she was then. If she could find Quentin and get him to say that he loved her, they would be together forever. When she agreed, he returned her to the bridge, alive again.
Apparently he kept track of her life after that, at least in a general way. He watched as Amanda Harris became Olivia Corey, star of stage and screen. Mr. Best was quite proud that he made her life possible, and his love for her never waned. He even protected her in his fashion, for he was meticulous about his agreement, and she would not be allowed to die before her time. But eventually the day came when Amanda's life would have ended. Waiting until she was alone, he presented himself at her door just a few minutes before her time was up. She was understandably upset, for she had found Quentin, but he had amnesia and didn't know who she was. Her pleadings and desperation wore down his resistance, and he gave her another seven days. But he resolved never to be moved by her again.
During the next week, he kept watch over her; subtly, but she did noticed him on occasion. It was with mixed feelings that he came for her again at the end of her week. Again Amanda pleaded for more time, for he had left Quentin before she found out if he had regained his memory. But Mr. Best's resolve did not fail him this time - he took her back to his hotel just seconds before Quentin came to profess his love. He rang for the bellboy, then excused himself to take care of an errand.
Perhaps he wanted to meet the man who had captured Amanda's heart, or maybe Quentin's attempt to end his life prematurely drew him there, but he stopped Quentin's attempt at suicide. Much to his surprise, he found out that Quentin really did love Amanda. So Mr. Best made a wager with him (at Quentin's urging). If he and Amanda could escape, they would be together forever. Escorting Quentin to the stopping-off place, he showed him the only way out: a door leading to the dangerous path to the outside. He also explained the rules. Quentin and Amanda were forbidden to touch until they reached the land of the living, or she would be lost to him forever. Providing two candles as their only weapons, Mr. Best sent Amanda down to meet her love. (He did not, however, explain the "no touching" rule to her, almost ending their chance at escape before it began.) They almost did escape, being within sight of the exit when Amanda fell from a rope bridge, and Quentin grabbed her arm to save her. Though they tried to get out, Amanda was buried under a cave-in. Though Quentin lost Amanda forever, maybe Mr. Best now has some companionship for eternity. Or maybe she was lost to him as well, and he still runs the afterlife alone.
