The Main Room, The Next Day
“Hilary, won't you listen?” Jeff had been following Hilary all morning. She thought he was beginning to be a bit annoying, dogging her heels like a puppy following its master. He was there at breakfast. He served her tea before her first play. He brought her the newspaper. “Cribby Menlow is supposed to be coming around with the papers today! I'll be a free man within the week!” He took her hands. “Darling, I love you. I've never loved anyone else. Won't you please give me a chance?”
She pulled away. “I've given you chances, Jeffrey. Every time I give you a chance, you trample on it.”
“I know what I feel for you is love. I was never in love with Pavla. She only loves power and money.” He looked into her eyes. “Will you be my wife?”
She sighed. “Jeffrey, we...well, we have a show to do.”
She was already stepping onstage when Jeff followed her. They were supposed to be appearing in a musical about a boy and a girl and a ballad today, but the last thing she felt like was singing. She had no idea how to tell Jeff the reason she couldn't marry him again. It wasn't that she didn't want to. She still cared about him. She just had...other obligations.
She was worried about Scott. Victor and Lester were out now, looking for him. No one had seen him anywhere in the Inn. None of the guests had seen him, nor their regular audience members. Poor Elizabeth was practically pacing the halls, waiting for any sign of his usual “Lizzie Lizzie Lizzie.” Maple, who claimed she felt well enough to return to work, was pale and upset.
Jeff put a hand on her shoulder as the curtain opened. “Are you all right, Mittens?”
She nodded, trying to ignore the use of the familiar nickname. “Yes, Jeffrey, I'm fine. Just fine.”
“Hilary, I have to do it.” He pulled her to the front of the stage the moment the curtain rose. He bowed to the audience. “Everyone, I have an announcement to make.” He turned to Hilary. “My dear Lady Hilary Booth, would you be my wife?”
Hilary bit her lip. “Jeff, I can't. I just...I can't.” She looked down at her frill-trimmed gloves. “I'm married to someone else.”
His eyes widened. “Hilary...” She hurried offstage. He turned to the audience. “Um, we'll be taking a five-minute break while we...sort out some difficulties with the cast.” He rushed after her.
Hilary was sitting in the parlor. “Hilary...who is it? Who did you marry?”
Hilary looked up at him, her eyes full of frustration and sadness. “Scott.”
“Scott?” He frowned, sitting next to her. “Why? I thought he drove you crazy!”
“Oh Pumpkin!” She turned away. “It wasn't because I love him. I mean, I like him. He can be a good friend, when he's not going a mile a minute on some scheme. His heart belongs fully to Elizabeth. He married me to get some money that belongs to him. He thought my connections could help get his inheritance.”
“Why did you do it?”
She finally looked at him. “I wanted to get back at you. You don't know how badly your marriage to Pavla hurt my heart and my pride. She told me you approved of her kidnapping me!”
His eyes widened in fury. “God, I want to tear her limb from limb, and I don't care if she is a woman! I would have gone to the ends of the Earth for you if I'd been there! You know I'd never do anything to harm you, ever!”
“Jeffrey, you say that, but...you married her. That hurt more than all the kidnapping in the world could.”
Jeffrey took her hand. “My darling, isn't there anything I can do to prove how much I love you?”
Hilary shook her head. “I don't know, Pumpkin. I love you...but then, I can't stand you. I suppose that's how real love works. At least, that's how it works for us.”
Jeff was about to kiss her again when Mackie Bloom stuck his head in. He didn't look too happy. “Are you two going to finish this play, or am I going to have to sing 'The Ballad of Mackheath' to myself?”
“We'll discuss this later.” Hilary gathered her skirts, but her walk seemed to have lost its usual haughty flounce. Jeff had never felt so defeated. If they couldn't find Scott, he'd never get him to release Hilary.
They were half-way through Act II when he saw her in the audience. Mackie tapped Jeff on the shoulder just as he was about to make a rousing speech for all of the rabble in London. “Uh, Jeff,” he whispered, “don't look now, but guess what the river sharks dragged in?”
Captain Pavla DeVile sat in the front row. She was dressed as ostentatiously as ever, in a yellow flowered gown and plumed hat that left little to the imagination. Several heads turned and looked her way as she wedged between a plump woman in pink gown and a little man in a green jacket.
Jeff narrowed his eyes. “What does she want?”
“Nothing good, I can tell you that.”
Jeff clenched a fist. “Mackie, I have got to talk to her the moment we step off the stage.”
“Do you think that's a good idea? Not only does she usually come with about five or six really ugly and nasty pirates hanging around her, but Hilary's already mad at you. If she sees you within five millimeters of that woman, who knows what she might end up maiming?”
“I told Hilary I'd prove to her that I love her, and I will. I'm going to get those papers off of her by any means necessary.”
“Jeff, I don't like this. I don't trust that woman.”
“I'll be all right, Mackie. I can handle her now. I know her tricks.” Jeff smiled at him and finished his speech, to thunderous applause.
Mackie wasn't too sure. He saw that familiar glint in Jeff's eyes. He had the same hard gleam when he decided to go back to Boston to take over Victor Comstock's work. The last time he'd tangled with Pavla, he'd ended up being forced into a marriage to save Victor that hadn't ended up doing anyone much good in the end, including the woman he really loved. I hope he knows what he's doing.
The Lobby, After The Play
Pavla knew he'd come. She had what he wanted – a way to return to that snotty little aristocrat of his. He can have her, she thought. She has everything – money, fortune, a title, a wealthy lover. Well, I'm going to get that, and more! I'm going to get what's coming to me.
“You...you harlot of a sea siren!” Lord Jeffrey Singer held a gun right at her. “Let me out of this marriage! I never wanted to marry you. I wanted to save Victor....and you went ahead and told the British about him anyway. You lied to me, and you put Hilary through pure hell, all to fuel your own spite and ambition!”
“We can't always have what we desire, Your Lordship.” She pulled out a gun of her own. “I could always use this on your beloved Lady Booth. Or perhaps, someone else at the Inn, like your friend Herr Comstock...” Her smirk became an evil grin “Or Herr Sherwood.”
“Scott?” Jeff walked around her, making sure the gun was trained on her breast. “What do you know about Scott?”
“Quite a bit, actually. For instance, I know where he's been the past few days.”
Jeff poked the gun further at her. “Where is he?”
“At my ship. He does have twenty thousand dollars on his head, you know. Herr Menlow and I thought it would be in our best interests to bring him to our employer and collect that reward. That money will go towards buying him lots of fancy things and me a coveted position with Trevor Zanish's drama troupe.”
“Take me to Scott.”
“Why should I?” She aimed her gun at him. “My employer wouldn't like that. He's been after Herr Sherwood...or should I say the Crimson Blade...for many years. Something about a debt Sherwood owes him.”
Jeff put down the gun. “I can't do it. I can't hurt a woman. Even one as despicable as you. If you take me to Scott, I'll put in word for you to get that position with the acting troupe. Anything you want. Just let Scott go and break that marriage contract. I really, really need to talk to Scott.”
Pavla went to him and patted his cheek. “That's a good boy.” He shoved her hand away. “My ship, the Ursula Gothel, is tied up at Dock 16 at the waterfront, near O'Malley's Bar. My new friend and I want you to meet me there as soon as you've appeared in your final play of the afternoon. You're to come alone. If Lady Booth or anyone here is with you, Sherwood won't live to rob another rich carriage.” His glare at her departing backside would have decimated whole armies.
The Main Room, Later That Evening
They'd just put on the last play of the day, a rousing adventure story about a captain who was a soldier of fortune and his young apprentice, who traveled all over the colonies finding treasure and defeating evil. Eugenia was packing up her music for the night when she saw Lord Singer duck out into the Lobby in a dark cloak. He looked like he was trying to hide. Eugenia couldn't imagine from what. Perhaps Lady Hilary? She had been awfully angry at him lately. Lady Hilary could be rather frightening when she was angry.
“Your Lordship?” Jeff swirled around. “Begging your pardon, but what are you doing? You look a little nervous.”
“I do?”
“Yes.” Eugenia looked around. “Are you and Her Ladyship quarreling again?”
“Yes...no. Not exactly.” Jeff frowned. “Eugenia, you can't tell anyone you saw me. It's a matter of life and death!”
“When Lady Hilary is in a bad mood, it can be a matter of life and death, too.”
“You especially can't tell Lady Hilary. If she knew, she'd try to come with me.”
“Don't you want her to come with you?”
“No!” He shook his head. “Eugenia, I'm going down to the docks. I'm on a...a secret mission.”
“A secret mission? For the government again?”
“You might say that.” He put a finger to his lips as he headed for the door. “Remember Eugenia, mum's the word!”
“Well, my mother lives in Altoona Village, and I don't know if she'd be listening for any words right now. She's a little deaf.” But she said these words to an empty door. Lord Singer had already left.
The Adventures of the Crimson Blade
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