“I swear that I’ve done nothing immoral.” It was the truth, though by the way Thomas’s gaze grew distant, I knew it had been another horridly wrong thing to say.
“I see.” He took a careful step away, the chasm splitting my chest in half. “I hope you have a good evening.”
“Thomas… please,” I said, stomach twisting. He shook his head, then started walking away. “I—wait!”
Without turning, he paused. “I’m—I need to get some rest before we’re called back to investigate the scene. A cluttered mind makes for messy investigating. Good night, Wadsworth.”
I took a few steps and forced myself to let him go. I wasn’t surprised that he’d studied me so closely while we were at the Academy of Forensic Medicine and Science. Headmaster Moldoveanu was a wretched man whom I’d had to stretch the truth to from time to time. And my father… prior to his acceptance of my passion for forensic medicine, I’d had to hide my apprenticeship with my uncle. Lying had been a necessary evil, one I was not proud of.
I buried my face in my hands. Warranted or not, the fact remained I had lied. Thomas had every reason to question me, though I wished more than anything he could see the truth: I’d never hurt him.
“Ah, the dark prince flees on the midnight breeze.” Mephistopheles held a glass of champagne high before sipping it. “He’s right, you know. You do glance down when you lie.”
TWENTY-ONE
BLACK AS HIS SOUL
PROMENADE
RMS ETRURIA
5 JANUARY 1889
I spun around. “Have you any honor at all? Not to mention, it’s creepy and not endearing when you suddenly appear like that.”
Mephistopheles’s mask was black as the night around us. Black as his devilish soul. And perhaps as black as his eye would be if he ever sneaked up on me again while a confirmed murderer was roaming about.
He tossed back the rest of his drink and pointed to his seat where a box of half-eaten popcorn lay next to an empty champagne bottle. “I’ve been sitting here, it’s not my fault you’re both so unobservant.”
I gritted my teeth. “How long have you been listening to us, then?”
“Long enough to congratulate you on maintaining that illusion of innocence,” he said. “Paltry an attempt though it may be. Let’s both agree that acting is not where your true talents lie. Though from what I’ve seen thus far, your sleuthing hasn’t been much better. At least you are fairly pleasant on the eyes. And your dancing is surprisingly decent.”
“Are you here for any real purpose or are you bored with playing parlor tricks for people?” I asked, face heating. “Or—most likely—are you simply enjoying the trouble you’ve caused between me and Thomas?”
“I never tire of tricks.” He smiled. “Much like you never tire of inspecting cadavers.”
“That hardly gives us something in common,” I said.
“If you say so.” He shrugged. “I disagree, though.”
“By the by,” I said, anger from his lion cage stunt blazing fresh, “I don’t know what the point of your demonstration was earlier, but my uncle will send me back to London if I’m caught alone with you again. If you endanger my future with forensics, I will break our agreement.”
“Perhaps I simply wanted to see if you cared for me or if everything is an act. You’re becoming quite the accomplished show-woman, even if you do look down when you lie.”
I opened my mouth, then shut it. He gave me a knowing look. “If your uncle would send you home because of that, perhaps studying under someone else would benefit you. You might consider studying my brand of science for a while.” He waved off any further rebuttals with a flick of his wrist. “While we could chatter on endlessly over our personal dramas, I have news. Your cousin is meeting Houdini onstage after midnight. Alone. Quite scandalous for a runaway society girl traveling with a troupe of misfits.”
I rolled my eyes. “She’s been traveling with you for more than a week, and now you’re concerned about the scandal?”
“I recall mention of your uncle threatening to commit her should she be alone with Houdini again. See? I’ve been sitting here, patiently waiting for you to finish with your investigation, so I might pass the news on to you immediately.”
I nearly groaned. At the rate Liza and I were going, we’d both end up in adjacent cells in the asylum. “What are they doing?”
“They’re working on Harry’s new performance for tomorrow’s show, very secretive but I’ve seen a preview. Now that one is tricky. And death defying. If he gets the timing down. Might just be death for whoever enters the milk can, though.”
If ever there was a time to consider swimming back to England, this was it. Not only was Liza meeting with Houdini, but now she planned on assisting with another stage act after she’d sworn to Uncle she’d never do so again.
“The milk can?” I finally asked, knowing he was baiting me into inquiring further. “That doesn’t sound very death defying. What about the handcuff act? Seems he ought to focus on being the king of one thing at a time.”