Illusion by Stephanie Elmas

Author:Stephanie Elmas [Elmas, Stephanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Endeavour Venture
Published: 2019-03-30T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

An astonished silence swept across them all. Daniel’s agonised groans gave way to tears.

‘Help me,’ he croaked.

‘Of course,’ said Walter.

But as soon as he tried to move towards his patient, Cecil barred Walter’s way.

‘You dare to step, uninvited, into my home?’ he spat.

Walter looked at him with a blank expression. ‘But I was summoned. Did you not know?’

‘Yes, by me!’ cried Mrs Lakefield, clapping her hands together in delight. ‘Oh you came, I knew you would. I’ve heard so, so much about you! How wonderful it is to have you here. Did you know that your fame has spread as far away as Constantinople, Mr Balanchine?’

Walter bowed his head. ‘No I did not, and it is a great honour to meet you too, Mrs Lakefield. Your note was very worrying; I was right to come I see. Mrs Hearst,’ he said, turning to Tamara. ‘I trust you are well?’

He fixed her with one of his soul-searching glances, to which it was impossible to reply. In a moment she felt as if he knew everything, as clearly as if he’d seen it all unfold with his own eyes: the soggy, miserable wedding, the hours of solitude, the last remains of the bruise on her face. She had hoped and hoped to see this man again, but now the reality of his presence was utterly overwhelming. The effect was made even worse by the notable absence of Tom Winter by his side: his friend, his colleague. A dogged sob rose up in her throat.

Cecil’s hand brushed urgently across his scalp and then he flexed his fingers, as if they were fixing to fly out with a punch. His whole body seethed. Tamara could hear his short, sharp breaths, sucked in and then expelled through white-rimmed nostrils. The thought of what he might do next made her want to cower in a dark corner.

But Walter remained entirely motionless before this display of fury. His eyes were fixed steadily and almost unblinkingly on Cecil’s. The vision reminded her of a drawing she’d once seen of a snake-charmer mollifying a venomous beast. The dark-haired boy also remained quite still, just a step behind Walter. Tamara recognised him now as the young card trickster who’d performed with them on that night in Mayfair.

Cecil stepped forward and then faltered, as if he wasn’t quite sure what to do next. And then suddenly the suspense was shattered by a painful crashing sound: Daniel, swooning to the ground, his raw ribs knocking painfully against the floor.

Walter pushed past Cecil and raced to Daniel’s side. He lifted him carefully beneath the arms whilst the boy took his ankles. Together they raised him onto a chair.

‘Someone please find a servant to strip this bed and remove all traces of that noxious ointment,’ Walter commanded.

‘Yes, I will,’ came a voice. Tamara felt a stab of surprise to discover that it came from Mama, who instantly hurried out of the room. Her shoulder almost brushed against Cecil who was now slumped against a wall, eyes staring down at the floor.

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