Larken

by S. G. Rogers

  “I’m sorry,” Theo said. “I can see you were both hoping I would acknowledge him.”

  “Yes, and no,” Larken said. “I would have been glad for your sake because Myles is so delightful, but I wasn’t looking forward to losing him.”

  “I can’t disagree with you,” Brandon said.

  “Then I’m glad I won’t be the reason for any separation,” Theo said.

  “Many of your friends will be shocked to learn you are alive,” Larken said. “Did no one ever recognize you on stage all these years?”

  “I was wondering that myself,” Brandon said.

  “No one did, at least not that I’m aware of. Of course, I was almost always wearing heavy stage makeup and a wig. When I wasn’t working, I took care to avoid the more fashionable neighborhoods in town. With no money in my pocket, it wasn’t particularly difficult.”

  “I wish I’d frequented the theatre or I’d have found you out earlier,” Brandon said. “After Mother died, I closed the house and lived in London. I doubt we were more than twenty miles apart the entire time.”

  “Yes, but our circumstances were so different, we might as well have been on different continents. One aspect of my return to society gives me pause,” Theo said. “Working as an actor is hardly respectable, and I don’t want to taint the family.”

  “Covering up your acting career will be impossible,” Larken said. “Myles takes every opportunity to tell everyone I’m the Miracle Orphan. He’ll have no compunction about telling everyone that you’re the actor, Lord Apollo.”

  “True,” Brandon said. “The child blurts out the first thing on his mind.”

  Theo nodded. “Then I’ll stick to the truth. Since I don’t plan to marry, I don’t suppose anyone will care.”

  “You’re awfully young to foreswear marriage entirely,” Larken said.

  “I’m done with all that,” he said. “Romance is codswallop as far as I’m concerned.”

  Larken and Brandon exchanged an amused glance.

  “I’ve heard that somewhere before,” Brandon said.

  Theo alit from the carriage outside the Adelphi Theatre the next morning, pausing long enough to address his brother. “I shouldn’t need more than five minutes.”

  “Don’t tarry overlong,” Brandon said. “We’ve an appointment at the tailor.”

  “Right you are.” Theo grinned as he touched the brim of his borrowed hat.

  Since it was midmorning, the alleyway at the side of the theatre was empty. Nevertheless, Theo knew the company would be backstage, preparing to rehearse. When he set foot inside the stage door, his fellow actors stopped talking with one another and gaped at his attire.

  “Don’t you look smooth!”

  “Somebody’s come up in the world.”

  “You could pass for a gentleman, Apollo. Who’d you rob?”

  Ignoring all the comments, Theo hailed the troupe’s director, who was conferring with the theatre manager nearby.

  “A word, Mr. Jewel?”

  The man didn’t need to turn around to recognize his voice. “It isn’t payday, Apollo.”

  “It’s not about that.”

  “Nor am I the Bank of England.”

  “For once I don’t want an advance against my salary, either. In fact, I wish to pay back what I owe.”

  Mr. Jewel turned. As he regarded Theo’s attire, he cocked a quizzical eyebrow. “Come into a windfall, have you?”

  “Not exactly. It’s just that I’m taking an immediate leave of absence and I want to settle my debt.”

  “A leave of absence? How long will you be gone?”

  “I can’t say.”

  An actress named Hetty sauntered over to drape herself on Theo’s shoulder. “Our Apollo’s been holding out on us. He’s upper crust, he is.”

  Mr. Jewel’s explosive laugh sounded like a bark. “And I’m Prince Albert!”

  Nobody smiled at his joke, and the director seemed to finally realize the situation was more serious than he’d imagined.

  “Your absence is going to leave us in the lurch, Apollo. It’s you who brings in the ladies.”

  “Neville can play my roles,” Theo said. “We’re similar in build, and if he wears a blond wig, nobody will know the difference.”

  A frown. “You’re not coming back, are you?”

  “Why should he?” Hetty said. “Didn’t you see that handsome gentleman come to see him yesterday? That was Apollo’s stinkin’ rich brother, that was. If I had a wealthy family, I wouldn’t be here neither.”

  “Excuse me, Hetty.” Theo gently disengaged himself from the actress, peeled off several pound notes from the folded bills in his pocket, and put the money into Mr. Jewel’s hand. “I believe that makes us more than square.”

  The director was taken aback. “That well-heeled fellow really was your brother, wasn’t he?”

  Albeit with a smile, Theo ignored the question. “Thank you for all the times you advanced me sums against my pay. You helped me out of many a scrape.”

  The newest member of the company, an ingénue understudy who went by the name of Miss Elysium Fields, hastened over.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t get to know you better, Apollo.”

  To her obvious pleasure, Theo kissed the back of her hand.

  “Thank you, Miss Fields.”

  “You’re not really leaving just like that, are you Apollo?” Neville called out. “Not after everything we’ve been through together?”

  The entire company stopped what they were doing and stared.

  “A good actor always knows when to leave the stage.” Theo sketched a courtly bow. “I bid you all a fond adieu.”

  The ladies cooed in appreciation. Theo extended his hand to Neville for a handshake, but the man waved him off.

  “Go on, if you’re going,” he muttered.

  Theo was taken aback by the snub. Although he was used to a low level of hostility from most of the men, Neville had been friendlier than most.

  “I’m sorry you feel that way,” Theo said.

  As he made his way toward the door, his path was blocked by a stagehand named Simon. He’d been a leading man at one time, but had been forced to quit because of his propensity to drink and forget his lines.

  “How ’bout you buy me a pint, Apollo? Seems like you can afford it now.” His tone was aggressive, bordering on threatening.

  Theo’s eyes narrowed. “I’m afraid not, Simon. I barely had enough money in my pocket to repay Mr. Jewel as it was.”

  “But there’s more where that came from.”

  “Leave off, Simon,” Mr. Jewel called out. “Buy your own pint.”

  The man curled his lip, but he stepped aside to let Theo pass. As he left the theatre and emerged from the alley into the sunshine, his troubles seemed to melt away. Making his living in the world over the last five years had been more arduous than he would ever have anticipated. He’d scraped by, but the notion of returning to Graceling Hall awakened hopes for a future he’d long thought foreclosed to him.

  After Theo climbed into his brother’s carriage, he caught sight of Simon, Neville, and a few other members of the company watching him from the mouth of the alley. Brandon noticed them, too.

  “Friends of yours?”

  A sigh. “Quite the opposite, I’m afraid.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Pirates

  THE TAVERN OVERLOOKING THE THAMES was full of actors, actresses, prostitutes, clients, and an assortment of shady underworld characters. In a dark corner booth, Simon sat with three other members of the acting company, in a late-night drinking session. He drained his mug of ale and bellowed for the barmaid to bring him another.

  “So our Apollo thinks he’s too good for us,” he said.

  “He is too good for us,” Hetty said.

  “True.” Elysium sighed. “His manners were always so lovely.”

  Neville sneered. “What are you going on about? You hadn’t known him more than a few days, and he never gave you a second glanc
e as far as I could tell.”

  Hetty snickered. “Do I detect a bit of jealousy?”

  “Perhaps I didn’t know Apollo very long, but he was always very gentlemanly to me,” Elysium retorted. “He never tried to take advantage, unlike some of the other men I know.”

  Neville folded his arms across his chest.

  “Well, Apollo’s fallen into a tub of butter, and I think he ought to share,” Simon said. “If we play our cards right, there might just be a grand payday in it for all of us.”

  Elysium frowned. “If you’re plotting something against Apollo, leave me out of it. He’s a nice man and you should be ashamed of yourselves.” She focused on Neville. “I thought he was your friend.”

  “He didn’t have any friends.”

  “Clearly not.”

  Elysium rose and pushed through the tavern patrons, swatting away a wandering hand along on the way.

  “Stop it, Jasper!” she exclaimed. “For the last time, I’m not interested.”

  “You don’t know what you’re missing, lass!”

  Simon, Neville, and Hetty watched as Elysium left the tavern.

  “Gah! There goes a girl who will never get anywhere in life.” Hetty rolled her eyes.

  “She thinks herself far above her company, I suppose,” Neville said.

  “Never mind her.” Simon grinned. “It just so happens I broke into Apollo’s flat this afternoon.”

  “You didn’t!” Hetty said, wide-eyed.

  “I did, and nearly got caught for my troubles. He and his brother drove up in that fancy carriage just as I was leaving.”

  “What did you find?” Neville asked. “I wouldn’t think Apollo had much put away.”

  “I wasn’t looking for money. I was looking for information.” Simon reached into his pocket, pulled out some yellowed envelopes, and waggled them. “I found out an awful lot about him from these old letters. His real name is Theodore King, and he hails from a wealthy Newcastle family.”

  “A lot of people come from wealthy families who want nothing to do with them.” Neville sounded bitter.

  “Be that as it may, a girl by the name of Mariah Pettigrew came between Apollo and his brother Brandon. Apollo was mad in love with her, it seems.”

  “I’ve never seen him with a girl,” Neville said.

  “His brother was with a woman and a little boy when they visited the theatre,” Simon said. “I was standing in the wings, staring right at her. Most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I’m betting that was Mariah.”

  “Maybe she left Apollo and went back to his brother?” Hetty shrugged. “I’d find it hard to choose between them myself. They’re both that good-looking.”

  “Whatever happened before, Brandon King isn’t angry with Apollo now. In fact, he was happy to see him,” Neville said.

  “Overcome with joy is more like it,” Simon said. “I’m thinking he’d do anything for his brother.”

  “What are you planning?” Neville asked.

  “We’re going to kidnap Mariah and hold her for ransom.”

  While Brandon and Theo went shopping for Theo’s new wardrobe, Larken stayed home to interview nanny candidates. To her frustration, none seemed exactly right. Thereafter, she and Myles spent the afternoon in the park. Exhausted from his activities, the boy had taken a bath, had an early dinner, and gone to bed. When Larken, Brandon, and his brother dined together, it quickly became obvious Theo was preoccupied. Even while Larken was talking about the nanny candidates, Theo said little, and ate even less. As he picked at his roast, Larken and Brandon exchanged a worried glance.

  “You’ve no appetite this evening, Theo?” Brandon asked. “Is there anything wrong?”

  Theo seemed to come out of a daze. “Oh, I beg your pardon. I’m just upset that someone broke into my flat.”

  “You went to your flat today?” Larken asked.

  “Yes. I wanted to pick up some of my personal belongings and let the landlady know I was leaving. When Brandon and I arrived, the door had been forced open.”

  “It was a dodgy neighborhood,” Brandon said. “You must have had break-ins before.”

  “Yes, but this time they stole my letters. Those letters have value only to me, so it doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Perhaps it was malicious mischief perpetrated by a jealous acquaintance?” Larken suggested.

  “Well, if they wanted to hurt me, they succeeded admirably. Among the letters were the last ones I ever received from Mariah and Father.”

  Brandon winced. “I’m so sorry.”

  “What a horrible loss,” Larken said. “I have letters from an old companion that I treasure. It would grieve me terribly to lose them.”

  “An old companion?” Brandon echoed.

  “When I lived at the orphanage, I made only one friend there. Although she and I came from vastly different backgrounds, Josie helped me survive a very dark time in my life. Without her, I might have lost my mind.”

  “Josie?” A flash of recognition lit Brandon’s face. “Isn’t Miss Josie the name of your pretend friend?”

  “I’m not understanding you, Brandon,” Theo said. “Why are you talking about pretend friends?”

  Larken laughed at Theo’s expression of bewilderment.

  “When Brandon went to America to pick up Myles, I made up several pretend friends to keep me company. And yes, one of them was named after my friend Josie.”

  “Whatever became of her?” Theo asked. “The real friend, that is, not the pretend one.”

  “She and I corresponded for several years, but when she left the orphanage, the letters stopped coming,” Larken said. “It makes me rather sad, actually.”

  “Perhaps you could visit the orphanage before we leave town, to discover where she went?” Brandon suggested.

  Her eyebrows lifted. “What a good suggestion! I’m interviewing potential nannies again tomorrow morning, but may I have the carriage in the afternoon?”

  “Certainly, you may have the carriage. Theo, Myles, and I will go riding.”

  “I’d like that,” Theo said. “I haven’t been on a horse in ages.”

  “I’m quite looking forward to visiting the orphanage.” Larken gave Brandon a beaming smile. “If I could learn Josie’s whereabouts, I would enjoy seeing her again.”

  When Larken alit from the carriage mid-afternoon, her eyes focused on the glum building before her. Time had certainly not improved its stark, foreboding appearance. Her memory of arriving here five years prior was still quite fresh in her mind, although on this occasion she had no fear of what lay inside.

  She glanced up at James. “I shouldn’t be terribly long.”

  He nodded and touched his hat in response. Larken needed no directions to find her way to Mrs. Platt’s office. The matron’s warm, welcoming attitude threw Larken off a bit, until she realized the woman had mistaken her for a potential patron of the orphanage.

  “Mrs. Platt, I’m Larken Burke—actually Mrs. Brandon King now. You might remember me as the Miracle Orphan.”

  “Oh, yes.” The matron’s face fell only slightly. “How can I help you, Mrs. King?”

  “I was hoping you could tell me something about my friend Josephine Wilkes? Did you place her into a position as a governess or maid?”

  “Josephine Wilkes?” She went to a bookshelf, pulled out a journal, and leafed through the pages until she found the entry. “Here we are. Miss Wilkes was to work as a governess for a prominent family, but when the wife arrived here to meet her, she insisted on hiring another girl.”

  “Why?”

  “Although the woman didn’t specify, I suspect it was because Miss Wilkes was too pretty. The wife took Maude Chesterfield instead.”

  Larken remembered Maude, whose looks were no threat to anyone.

  “What became of Josie?”

  The journal snapped shut. “Once an orphan turns seventeen, they are no longer my concern.”

  “I see.”

  Larken was disappointed, both for h
erself and on Josie’s behalf. It was so cruel for a seventeen-year-old girl to be turned out into the world with no money and no protector. Well, it might be too late for Josie, but perhaps Larken could help someone else. She removed her gloves.

  “Have you any nanny candidates available? If so, I’d like to meet them.”

  An hour later, Larken emerged from the orphanage with much food for thought. She’d met several young girls who were in dire need of employment. Although only one was suited to Larken’s requirements as a nanny, she fretted about the rest. Perhaps the remaining girls might be hired at Graceling Hall in some other capacity.

  When James saw her coming, he climbed from the driver’s seat and held the door open. Preoccupied with her interviews, she barely spared him a glance.

  “I was delayed a bit,” she said. “Sorry.”

  He didn’t respond, and Larken assumed he was annoyed with her. She climbed into the carriage, but before she could settle herself, a man with a heavy black beard, a black tricorn hat, and an eye patch climbed in after her. As Larken stared at the barrel of his flamboyant dueling pistol, her mouth went dry.

  “I haven’t much in my reticule, sir, but you’re welcome to it.” She tossed her bag into his lap.

  Although it was no laughing matter, she almost expected to see a hook where his left hand would be. When the man grinned at her, one of his front teeth was blackened. He’s wearing a disguise.

  “I’m after far more than yer reticule, lass.”

  As James slammed the carriage door shut, she suddenly realized he wasn’t her driver either, but a complete stranger wearing James’ uniform and a shaggy blond wig. Another disguise.

  “What have you done with James?” she demanded.

  The pirate leered. “Let’s just say when yer driver wakes up, he’ll have a right wicked headache.”

  “Take the carriage, but let me go.”

  She reached for the door handle, but the pirate grabbed her wrist and forced her back into her seat.

  “No ye don’t,” he said. “Come along quiet-like and ye won’t get hurt.”