They each in turn lifted my hand to their lips in a courtly kiss.
“You’ve brought friends!” Phineas exclaimed. “Delightful!”
“Yes. At last they were able to make it.” I gestured to Thea. “Gentlemen, meet my dearest friend in the world, Thea Wr—um…Martin.”
She extended her hand, and Benjamin grasped it enthusiastically. “Miss Martin, it is such a pleasure to finally meet you. Miss Wright speaks of you with great affection.”
Phineas, not to be outdone, bowed to her and brought her hand to his lips. “Indeed, you are every bit as beautiful as she claimed. We’ve heard so much about you, we feel as if we already are friends.” He smiled at her and winked. “Do say you feel the same, or our evening will be utterly ruined.”
Thea glowed under their flirtatious attention. She dimpled into a bright smile and linked her hands around their arms. “You two are adorable. I’d never ruin your evening. Of course we are great friends already.”
She shot me an approving glance and a tiny thumbs-up when the two gents weren’t looking. I looked away, hiding my grin.
My eyes fell on Dietrich, standing behind us. On the fringes of the pool of light cast by the gas lamp above us, he was half-shadowed and appeared ill-at-ease. It hadn’t occurred to me until then that the quietly forceful presul might not be comfortable in social settings. I’d only ever seen him in rehearsals or other situations where he was doing his job. Now, he seemed alone—not exactly lonely, but separated. I didn’t know if it was because he was still angry with me or because he was too reserved to join our group without being invited in.
I stepped back to widen our circle. “Gentlemen, I also want to introduce you to my other friend—” Shit. I couldn’t use his real name—he was already too well-known of a director. “—David West,” I said, spitting out the first name that came to me. “Mr. West, my friends Benjamin Pierce and Phineas Corker.”
Dietrich didn’t even twitch at the name change. Smoothly, and with a smile, he extended his hand to the other two men. “Delighted to meet any friends of Miss Wright.”
“Are you a technomancer as well?” Benjamin asked Dietrich.
He slid a quick look at me, but shook his head. “Fencing master.”
I tried not to look startled. He had to be making it up, but he sounded quite convincing. Thea sent me a surprised look. The boys stared at him with newfound admiration.
“Say, that’s totally brass!” Phineas clapped him on the back, eyes shining. “Be a brick and give us a quick lesson, won’t you?”
Benjamin held up his walking stick playfully. “En garde!”
Dietrich chuckled, but nodded toward the bouncer. “I’d love to, but I’m not sure what our tall, dark, and bulky friend at the end of the line there might do.”
Both toffs sighed regretfully. Dietrich patted Benjamin on the shoulder. “Perhaps another time?”
Phineas sidled up to me. “So how did you meet a fencing master? Do you fence as well, Miss Wright?”
I laughed, hoping I didn’t sound nervous. “No. I’m afraid not. I met Di—Mr. West…” My mind went blank.
“It’s a long story,” Dietrich said with a wave of his hand. “Involving sisters and suitors and other terribly dull things. But we’re great friends now, and that’s what matters. But tell me what the barrister’s office is like. Any good cases?”
They entertained us with some of their more ridiculous legal cases as the line snaked toward the bouncer. Dietrich kept them talking the whole time. Maybe I had mistaken his previous uncertainty because now he seemed entirely comfortable. There was something warm and friendly about him that made people want to confide in him. And yet I noticed that he shared almost nothing about himself.
I pulled Thea behind the three gents to walk with me. I tugged on her arm until she leaned her head close to mine. “Can you tell—is he still angry at me?” I nodded to Dietrich.
She concentrated a moment. “I don’t think so. Not exactly angry, anyway. But there’s something troubling him. I think it’s…you.” She spoke very quietly, so the boys wouldn’t hear.
Just then, Dietrich turned abruptly to stare at Thea, confusion and then understanding in his face. Her eyes widened. He sent her a warning glare, then gave his attention back to Benjamin and Phineas.
“What was that?” I whispered.
She grimaced. “I think he felt me touch his mind. I should have thought of that before I did it—you feel it, so it makes sense that he would too.”
I giggled softly. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to get you in trouble.”
She shrugged. “We share everything, including trouble.”
We grinned at each other. I was glad I didn’t have to hide all this from my best friend anymore.
Inside the pub, Benjamin and Phineas got a table for the five of us. Thea and I ended up sitting next to each other with Benjamin on my other side, and Phineas by Thea. Dietrich was across the table from me, and suddenly the phrase “fifth wheel” made perfect sense. He didn’t seem to mind terribly being the odd man out, just sat there observing us all with an unreadable expression.
Phineas pushed back from the table. “May we offer you ladies a drink?”
Thea smiled. “Oh yes—”
“That won’t be necessary—I’ll be purchasing for them,” Dietrich said, frowning.
Phineas’ gaze flew from us to Dietrich and back. I understood his confusion. Buying a lady a drink was one of those courtesies that could mean different things. It might be just mere politeness. Or it could mean that the man was interested in the girl. Or that they were already in a relationship of some sort.
But for one man to stake a drink-buying claim on two girls at once was just plain odd. No wonder Phineas didn’t know what to make of it.
I aimed a kick at Dietrich under the table. Then I turned a bright smile on Benjamin. “I would love a ginger beer, please.”
He looked hesitantly at Dietrich, then back at me. “Of course, Miss Wright.”
“Thank you, but no need, Mr. Pierce,” Dietrich said. “I’ll take care of it.”
Thea and I exchanged annoyed glances. Then I patted Benjamin’s arm. “Do forgive Mr. West. He thinks of me quite as his sister, and so is naturally protective of me and my friend.”
Dietrich looked startled at the word “sister.” I didn’t know why he should. He was the one who said it first—albeit in Cymric. “I don’t—” he began.
“Yes, you do, dear Mr. West. You’ve told me so yourself.” I hurried on, to stop anything else he was thinking of saying. “At any rate, it so happens that Miss Martin and I are perfectly able to buy our own drinks tonight, so that settles that. Right, Thea, dearest?”
She nodded firmly, staring down the three men until they reluctantly gave in. Perhaps it was an insult to their pride to not let them pay, but that’s what they got for squabbling over us as if we were candy tossed to a bunch of street children. And it was good for us not to be obligated to any of them.
We gave some money to Phineas along with our drink orders, and then Thea offered to go with him. Dietrich quickly seconded the offer.
I knew why.
Delphine’s source about the Peacock was one of the barmaids. A girl named Lottie. The plan was to have Lottie serve us and mention the Peacock in her hearing. Thea’s magic seemed to work best on whatever the person was thinking about at the moment, so we needed to make Lottie think about the Peacock while we were nearby. Sort of underhanded, but Delphine had said there was no other way we would get information from her.
I offered to stay at the table with Benjamin.
He watched the other three weave through the tables, an unusually thoughtful look on his face. “Your Mr. West doesn’t seem to like Phin and me very well.”
I shook my head. “No, no. It’s not that. He really is very friendly. Like I said, he just thinks of us in a brotherly, over-protective way.”
Benjamin gave a low laugh.
“What?” I asked.
“I beg your pardon, Miss Wright. You know him better than I, of course. But I couldn’t help thinking that how he looks at you was not what I’d call brotherly.”
Now it was my turn to laugh. “I can’t imagine what you’re talking about.” But the thought sent a flash of heat through me.
Benjamin hesitated a moment. “He’s rather intense, especially about you.”
I hadn’t realized Benjamin was so observant. I’d categorized him as a bit of a dandy, but I saw that I’d underestimated him. “Mr. West is…very serious. I don’t think he has had much opportunity to learn how to have fun. He speaks little about his childhood, but I gather it was not easy. But he is a good person.”
Benjamin smiled. “I’ve no doubt about that. You wouldn’t like him so much if he weren’t worthy of it.”
I gave him a flirtatious grin. “Then by that reasoning, you must be an amazingly good man.”
His cheeks grew a little rosy as the compliment sank in. His brown eyes twinkled. “I shall try to live up to your regard, Miss Wright. Thank you.”
The conversation shifted to unimportant matters, and soon he had me laughing at an irreverent impersonation of one of the barristers in his office. When I finally could breathe again, he placed his hand, thumb up, on the table between us.
“Have you ever played Thumb Scuffle?” He wiggled his thumb.
I giggled, but tried to look tough. “Are you challenging me, Mr. Pierce?”
“Indeed I am.”
All right. I could do this. I’d played it lots of times with girls. I remembered the heat of Raymond’s hand. The memory made me feel safe.
Grinning slyly, I slid my fist toward Benjamin’s until our fingers linked, and both our thumbs pointed up.
I was all right. This might actually be enjoyable.
Slowly, I began the chant, our thumbs crossing in rhythm. “One-and-two, three-four-five—”
“—this fight your thumb will not survive,” he finished.
The thumb scuffle began. The goal was to pin your opponent’s thumb with your own for a count of three. It was a child’s game, and a lot of young people our age used it mainly as a ploy to hold hands without actually having to admit that they wanted to.
He was fast, but I was experienced. I’d beaten Thea and Evelyn Harrison hundreds of times. Benjamin almost pinned me, but I twisted loose, squealing. His eyes danced merrily.
“Unfair, Miss Wright. You can’t use your whole arm.”
I was laughing so hard I could barely speak. “But I’m smaller than you!” I gasped, trying to capture his thumb. “I have to make up for that somehow.”
A shadow loomed over the table. I glanced up to see Dietrich watching us.
Benjamin used my distraction to pin my thumb. “Onetwothree!” he exclaimed, as if it were all one word.
“That wasn’t three seconds.” I shook my finger at him, pretending to scold.
“Of course it was.”
“Then you must have magic after all, Mr. Pierce, and can speed up time itself.”
He just looked smug.
Pleasure rushed through me. That had been really fun. “I demand a rematch,” I told him, setting my hand thumb-up on the table again.
But it wasn’t Benjamin’s hand that captured mine.
Dietrich’s fingers curled around mine, squeezing gently. “Let me have a try instead.”
I looked up at him, sitting on the other side of Benjamin. His thumb brushed against my knuckles, sending hot tingles zinging through me. His eyes, cool and dark, glowed with a sensual light. They slid over my face as if he were imagining kissing me.
God help me, I was imagining it too.
And for once, the thought didn’t turn my stomach.
Then, something hard squeezed around my heart. He had scolded me. He had called me his little sister. And now he wanted to be all steamy and flirty? Now that there were other boys around flirting with me, now he decided to send me naughty eye messages?
Men. They simply refused to make sense.
Benjamin coughed a little. “I’m…just going to move out of the way here.” He scooted back his chair.
The sound snapped me out of my Dietrich-trance. “No need,” I said, slipping my hand from Dietrich’s grasp. “I’d be very foolish indeed to play Thumb Scuffle with a fencing master, don’t you think?”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Benjamin sizing us both up, reading the situation with what was probably embarrassing accuracy. “Hmm…likely. He seems like the kind of chap who is used to winning.”
“Mostly,” he said, eyes not leaving mine, and a glimmer of a smile. “Worried about losing, Miss Wright?”
Losing what? My sense of safety? My secrets? My heart? Possibly.
Or maybe…just my temper.
I stood, nearly knocking over my chair. “I have a headache, and the room is stuffy. Mr. Pierce, would you be so kind as to escort me outside for some fresh air?”
But Benjamin didn’t come to my rescue. He stretched back in his chair, looking vastly amused. “Not to be ungentlemanly, but I think if you are unwell, what you really need is the tender care of one who sees himself as your brother.”
Wretched traitor. I turned up my nose. “Brothers can often bring on headaches, I’ve found.”
Nonetheless, Benjamin refused to cooperate. Dietrich silently offered me his arm, and if I didn’t want to admit I was making up the headache, I had no choice but to allow him to walk with me outside. As Dietrich led me away, I glared at Benjamin over my shoulder.
The bastard winked at me.
Chapter Sixteen
I didn’t want to make a scene and draw attention to the two of us, so I held my temper in check. “Where are Thea and Mr. Corker?”
“Still at the bar. Mr. Corker was only too eager to talk about the Peacock with Thea, and Lottie cannot escape hearing. Thea seemed hard at work, and I didn’t want to interrupt whatever mental crumb-gathering was going on.”
Blast it. I’d been hoping to grab Thea and bring her with us on the way outside. “Her talent does come in useful that way.” I tried to keep my tone neutral. But inside, it felt like a lit match had been thrown on the floor, and now the whole building was catching flame.
Dietrich’s arm tightened. “Her talent certainly came in useful earlier this evening. Did you find out from me what you wanted to know?”
He was referring to Thea’s mental foray into his mind earlier.
My cheeks grew warm. “Yes, actually.” I wasn’t going to be intimidated by him. I wasn’t the one sending mixed signals and confusing unsuspecting girls.
He leaned his head close to my ear. “Whatever you were searching for, you could have just asked me.” His voice had that low and seductive note to it again. Damn him.
I refused to be drawn in by it. “And be accused again of being childish? I think not.”
I tried to pull away, but he held onto my arm with his other hand. We exited the pub without further conversation. I felt as if my entire body were one big, pissed-off fireball. Once outside, he released me, and I marched across the still-wet street to the alley where I’d done my hair during my first visit to the Noggin.
“Why are you angry at me?” He followed me into the alley.
I spun on him, breathing in the damp night mist. “What the bloody hell do you want from me, Dietrich?”
He took a step back, his expression almost haughty. “Whatever do you mean?”
“You’re the detached, all-seeing presul one moment, and then you call me your sister.” I paced the narrow width of the alley, giving in to the pent-up anger that had been building inside me ever since Dietrich Wolff showed up at the theater. “You scold me like you would a child, and then you look at me like—like—” Oh, blast it, I was just going to say it outright. “Like you want to kiss me.” I stopped and put my hands on my hips. “You know I’m scared of you. Why are you playing with me like this?”
He crossed his arms. “Understand this, Miss Mellor. I never play. With anyon
e. Besides, you said you weren’t scared of me anymore.”
“I’m not—but I am.” I let loose a groan. “I don’t even know how to explain. But you can’t do this to me. I can’t handle it.”
“But you can handle being with Raymond?”
“I don’t know!” I kicked a tin can and sent it hurtling into a brick wall. “Holding hands was surprisingly nice. But he almost kissed me, and I couldn’t do it.”
“He what?”
Oh god. I couldn’t believed I’d been coggled enough to mention that. “You heard me. And why shouldn’t he? Give me one damn reason why I shouldn’t be able to flirt with and kiss a good, decent gent like that?”
“The only person who is saying you can’t is you.”
“Don’t you dare!” My voice rose, and I struggled to force it down. We didn’t need another rozzer investigating in the alley again. “Don’t you dare act like some wise, all-knowing voice-of-God.”
“I’m not.” His tone was measured and steady. As if he were trying to keep me calm.
It just made me angrier. I wanted him to be as out of control as I felt. “Why do you care about what I do with Raymond anyway?”
“I don’t.”
“You brought it up.”
He swallowed hard. I could feel his own anger stirring. Good. His jaw tightened. “You flirt with and charm everybody you meet. Your eyes sparkle and you seem to glow.” His hands tightened into fists. “Except with me. With me, you die a little bit each time we’re together.”
My anger deflated like a hot air balloon being packed away. He was right, sort of. But God help me, I didn’t want to have to explain why. If he knew, he’d be disgusted. It would never be the same between us again. I couldn’t face that. I hadn’t even told Thea or Nadine everything, though they probably had guessed most of it. I’d told Raymond even less. Such things could not be said out loud. Not if I wanted my life to even sort of be normal. If I didn’t want people to look at me with pity or scorn, I could never, never tell.
“Why should it matter to you?” The words were harsh, fierce. “You’re just our director.”
“That’s it? That’s all I am to you?” He lounged against the brick wall, his expression icy.
Chains of Silver: a YA Theater Steampunk Novel (Alchemy Empire Book 1) Page 14
