Chapter 2 #2
Cordell had nearly been one of those who had taken to the streets, but he was lucky to have discovered others like him along the way who helped to propel him in the right direction.
It was with their guidance that he was able to walk into this comfortable abode and call it home.
So many were not as fortunate and he made a point to remember his own struggles so that he might help others in need.
More than once he’d opened his home to one vagrant or another, saving them from another night on the streets.
Most were grateful and the others had already made their choice long ago.
Because of his shared loyalty, Cordell had earned the respect from both sides of London—the East End affluent society members and the West End working class.
And yet, he was still fighting an inner battle that no one knew about.
At least, no one who dared to say anything to his face.
Climbing the stairs to his chamber, he undressed and climbed into bed, but his racing mind refused to let him rest.
He wondered why he’d blurted out the truth of his father to Miss Sims like that.
It wasn’t as though it was common knowledge.
Not anymore. But there had been a time when his father had been alive and Cordell had been dragged through the misery of those trials and judgment.
He hadn’t thought of his sire as a monster, but the truth had been laid out for everyone to see and to hear the truth come from his very own lips…
Cordell clenched his fists as the memory of those dark days pressed down on him with the weight of a hundred carriage wheels, as fresh now as it was back then.
Was it possible to ever escape the torture of knowing one’s father murdered people out of pure curiosity?
Or perhaps it was sport. It was one of the terrible unanswered questions that he would never know the answer to.
He would never understand what had caused his father to shove a knife into his wife’s chest over and over again until there was more blood coating the floor than what was left in her body.
He slowly forced himself to relax his hands and exhale slowly.
It was his severe reaction to these memories that scared him just as much as what his father had done.
What if he woke one night, caught in the throes of a night terror and injured someone?
It was why he’d vowed to remain a bachelor and live the libertine lifestyle.
He visited bawdy houses and never stayed any longer than it took for a mutual exchange of pleasure.
He’d never taken a mistress because he hadn’t wanted to accept an overnight stay.
He feared it was entirely too dangerous.
He threw his arm over his forehead and stared at the canopy above his bed, his thoughts once more pulled in the direction of Miss Sims. He was concerned that if he didn’t discern why this villain was targeting fair-haired young actresses for a particular reason, she might end up being the target on the killer’s list. The sight of Miss Adams’ lifeless eyes glared up at him in his vision and he could almost feel that condemning stare.
Why didn’t you save me? Why didn’t you catch the murderer before he struck a second time? You failed me. You failed us.
All of us.
He clenched his jaw. He would not make the same mistake again. He might not be able to protect every woman in London. That would be impossible. But he could vouch for the safety of Miss Sims. He would ensure that if it took his dying breath to do so.
* * *
Aislynn peered out of the corner of her smudged window the next morning and narrowed her eyes.
She didn’t know who Cordell Steele was fooling if he thought she was too na?ve to spot someone loitering about her flat.
She had no doubt that he’d hired someone to watch over her.
He seemed the type to act the part of dashing knight and rescue the damsel in distress, but what he didn’t know about Aislynn was that with her growing fame in the city, she was used to looking over her shoulder and warding off unwanted admirers.
Unfortunately, it was the ones with money and prestige who were tougher to fight off than those wielding any sort of weapons.
However, a shiver crawled over her skin because Geneva’s body wasn’t yet cold in the grave and she was expected to play her part at the Theatre Royal that evening as if nothing untoward had happened.
The show must go on, and although she might not be in the mood to accommodate an entertainment hungry crowd, she knew if she wanted to eat and have a roof over her head, she had to swallow her pride and put on a winning smile and put on the best performance of her life. Her survival depended on that success.
Donning one of the few simple dresses she had in her possession, Aislynn considered that she would have her pick of the finest silks that money could buy when she walked out onto the stage.
Every need was at her fingertips for the taking—until she walked out the door and returned to her simple flat that used to house two hopeful actresses.
Now that it was just Aislynn, she had to start asking around to see if someone would be willing to move into Geneva’s room and help share the expenses.
She glanced toward the closed door and realized that she couldn’t find the nerve to go inside and look around just yet.
There could be clues to her demise, and yet, Aislynn felt sick every time she thought of rummaging around in Geneva’s things.
It seemed like a terrible invasion of her privacy even though she would no longer have use of anything inside.
Aislynn wondered about her family. When Geneva was around, they just talked about the theatre and kept things light and impersonal.
It was as if they believed speaking about such things as the past and their family would become too intimate and tears could start flowing.
At least, that was the impression she received from Geneva.
Aislynn had long been on her own. She had never known her father, only the men that her mother had paraded through their tiny flat.
She managed to deal with her mother’s unstable and cruel environment to a point, but when circumstances became too harsh, Aislynn had finally dared to leave for London at the age of fifteen and hadn’t looked back.
There were times when her mother had attempted to contact her through the years, but Aislynn generally found some reason to deny her an audience.
Aislynn just wanted to put that part of her past to rest. She hadn’t been certain she would survive when she made it to London with the pittance she’d spent to take the public coach there, but by some miracle, she’d been spared the life of a demimonde and found work as a seamstress while she struggled to find work on the stage.
It had always been her dream to perform and it had finally come true. To a point, at least.
She knew she was currently being well received by the common and fashionable crowd alike, but how long would it last before someone rose to take her place in the light?
She was under no misconceptions to believe she would always be heading upward.
Once she reached the top, there was only one way to go and she had to make sure plans were in place before everything came crumbling down around her.
Thus, she pasted a bright smile on her face and ignored the stranger standing across the street with a roll of her eyes as she headed for the theatre.
She made her way in the back entrance and was immediately beset by Mia. “I was about to go to your flat if you didn’t show up within the next few minutes!”
“Why?”
Mia’s eyes widened. “Tell me you did not just say that. Have you forgotten about last night already? I was determined to check on you if you were one second late for tonight’s performance.”
“Afraid you could not take on the role of Juliet in my absence?” Aislynn returned dryly.
Again, Mia stared at her as if she’d suddenly spouted two heads. “There was a murder here, in this very theatre.”
“I am well aware of that,” Aislynn said with gritted teeth. “Geneva was my roommate.”
“I know! That’s why I was terrified for your safety last night!”
It was the high pitch of Mia’s voice, warning that panic would soon start to set in, which made Aislynn steer her toward her dressing room and shut the door firmly behind them.
She grasped her hands and looked at her directly.
“We cannot allow this killer to unnerve us. Do you hear me? The moment we do so, he wins and we have too much at stake for our survival to allow him that much power.”
“But what if—”
“No.” Aislynn interrupted firmly. “There will be none of that. We are to put it out of our mind the best we can and honor Geneva’s memory by performing the role of our lives.”
Finally, some of her words seemed to penetrate Mia’s brain, because she blinked a few times and seemed to calm. “You are right. She would not want us to make a fuss over her, no matter what the reasons.”
“Precisely.” Aislynn turned and headed for her dressing table. “I have to get prepared for Juliet, so if you are feeling more at ease…”
“Of course. I will check on you later.”
As soon as the door shut behind Mia, some of Aislynn’s bravado deserted her.
She looked down at her hands in her lap and saw that they were shaking almost uncontrollably.
She clasped them together and closed her eyes, concentrating on taking deep, steady breaths.
What she’d told Mia had not been a lie. Geneva would want the show to be the best it could be under the circumstances.
She’d loved the theatre as much as the rest of them did and had always been adamant about a stellar performance, one that would keep the audience coming back for more, because that meant food in their bellies and a roof over their heads.
A few moments later, Aislynn was composed. She lifted her makeup palette and began to apply Juliet’s face, hoping that it would soon blot out her own, as well as the rest of her worries.
About half an hour before the curtain was to rise, there was an urgent knock at her door.
Aislynn was just sliding on her slippers as the final touch to her costume when Mia walked in looking quite harried.
Thankfully, it was in a different manner than the chaos from earlier.
Nevertheless, she looked as though she had important news to share.
“What is it?” Concerned that the manager might have made a drastic change in the play, her mind was eased with Mia’s next statement. At least, when it came to Juliet.
“The inquiry agent is here! Cordell Steele!”
Aislynn froze. “Are you quite certain?”
“I saw him in the audience. There is no way I could forget a man that handsome.” Her face was wreathed in smiles, a stark contrast to the moment she had originally approached Aislynn. “Do you think he’s here to watch the play?”
Aislynn waited for Mia to understand what she’d just asked, but when she appeared to stare into oblivion with stars dotting her eyes, she supposed she would have to point out the obvious. “If he is in the seats in the auditorium, then I imagine that is the point.”
“You must have made quite an impression on him.”
Aislynn wanted to roll her eyes. Instead, she discovered a frown had creased her brow. “Do not be ridiculous. He is likely here to keep an eye on things to ensure nothing untoward happens again.”
That caused Mia to blanch. “Do you think the killer will strike again? Here?”
Aislynn had no idea what might or might not happen, but since she didn’t want to upset Mia any more than she appeared to be, she quickly tried to soothe her fears with a little white lie.
“The chances of that are very slim. Mr. Steele told me that criminals do not usually strike the same place twice. It is like a lightning strike.”
Of course, the inquiry agent had told her no such thing, but she wasn’t about to tell Mia that she was concerned about what might occur.
She needed Mia to focus on the play and not what might be lurking in the shadows around them.
Aislynn was generally used to ignoring things that went bump in the night.
Or rather, she didn’t give it the power to unnerve her as they once had.
“Fifteen minutes to curtain!” The warning rang through the ajar door.
Aislynn reached out and squeezed Mia’s hand. “Do not worry about anything but stepping on your gown and falling on Romeo.”
Mia’s face relaxed slightly and a smile started to curve the corners of her mouth. “It would serve Jacob right if I brought him down with me on the stage, but you are right, of course. As always. Thank you, Aislynn.”
As she left, Aislynn allowed her shoulders to sag slightly. There were times when it became exhausting to be strong for everyone else when her own heart was struggling.
Bracing herself with a deep inhalation, Aislynn headed out to entertain her adoring devotees.