Chapter 1 #2
He came to a stop and cast a glance at his surroundings.
How had he gotten this far? With a shrug, he walked along Bond Street.
He was in need of a new snuffbox and hadn’t found anything that appealed to him yet.
Perhaps a purchase would chase away his Friday face.
Pausing by a narrow lane off the main street, a creaking sign on his left caught his attention.
Percival’s Providence
A Shop of Curiosities
Why did the name sound familiar—as if he should recognize the place?
On a whim, he strode toward the sign and stopped at the door.
He peered through a dusty window, above a plaque that read: Curiosity did not kill the cat.
Will snorted and squinted through the murky pane.
The place was crammed full of odds and ends.
Standing behind a glass counter was a peculiar-looking man with scruffy white hair and spectacles.
Directly below him was a black cat, sitting with its tail swishing and gazing up at him with golden eyes.
I guess curiosity isn’t as deadly as the saying goes, he thought with a chortle. You seem to be living proof, my little fellow.
Will pushed the door open and walked inside. The elderly gentleman looked up at the clang of a tarnished bell overhead.
“Welcome to Percival’s Providence, London’s finest dealer of curiosities,” the elderly man said in a high-pitched voice.
Will nodded as his eyes adjusted to the dimness.
“Good afternoon. Just browsing.” The floor-to-ceiling shelves ran along two walls.
So many items were crammed along the wood planks that Will had to slow his gaze to take it all in.
Hats, bonnets, capes, gloves, blankets, and various other cloth-related items covered one side.
Another was filled with tomes that would send an explosion of filth into the air if he pulled one out.
Tables stacked with curios and odds and ends were scattered about the main area.
He spotted dishes, opera glasses, shoes, and a gaming table covered with various tools.
A children’s theater stood atop a stack of hatboxes.
“How do you find anything in here?” asked Will, turning to the proprietor.
His need for orderliness erupted, but he stilled the urge to shudder, for he couldn’t take his eyes from the color.
From the street, the shop seemed shadowy and dull.
Inside, it was a kaleidoscope of pastel and jewel tones.
Porcelain and glass in rich hues of gold, green, and blue.
Landscapes hung on any available wall space with sunrises and sunsets of rose, orange, yellow, and purple.
“It’s organized chaos, my lord,” said the old man, his pale-blue eyes twinkling behind his wire-rimmed spectacles. “Are ye in need of a specific item?”
The cat meowed and sauntered toward Will, arching its back and rubbing against his leg. He bent to scratch the animal behind the ears, then let his hand trail along its spine. The cat’s back end raised and lowered as Will petted it.
“Behave yerself, Cat,” said the man with a grin. “He enjoys company, but so many are frightened by his color. Glad to see ye aren’t superstitious.”
“There’s enough visible evil in this city. We certainly don’t need any invisible threats,” Will said, straightening. Maybe it had been a mistake coming inside. There couldn’t possibly be anything he wanted here. Then he remembered why the name of the shop had sounded familiar.
His friend, Charles—the solicitor who often found the poverty cases he accepted—had told him of the place.
His fiancée, Phoebe, had stumbled across the shop and found an acrostic bracelet.
The three of them had worked to uncover the “secret” code over Christmastide last year.
Phoebe swore the bracelet had been responsible for her and Charles finding love.
“You’re jaded and losing hope, poor man,” murmured the proprietor softly. “We’ll have to fix that.”
“Not jaded, just a realist,” he argued, approaching the long glass case the man stood behind. In back of the counter were more shelves, laden with books and boxes. “I’m not sure why I’m here, really.”
“Every decision serves a purpose,” quipped the man, waving Will to come closer. “I believe you’re in the right place. Trying to rid yourself of that weight, eh?”
Will blinked. How did this fellow know how he’d been feeling? Was he so transparent? “Yes, I need a magic potion to disguise the ugliness outside. Or enchanted spectacles so I only see the good.”
“Well,” the old man chuckled, “I’d be rich as Croesus if I had those. Besides, ye can do that on yer own. Just takes some time to train yourself.”
“A book of instructions, then?” he asked, drawn to this odd little shopkeeper. There was something happy about him, as if joy and wisdom radiated from him. A man with purpose, with balance…
That’s it, Will realized. He needed balance, but how could he achieve it if his mind was constantly consumed with pessimistic thoughts.
“Tell me, my lord—”
“Mr. Page, not a lord, and you are?”
“Mr. Percival Peabody. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” the old man said, extending his hand.
Will smiled as they shook, something about this character that… eased his soul. He smiled, then realized what the man had said. “Finally?”
“How did that feel?” said Percival, ignoring Will’s question.
“How did what feel?” he asked.
“The smile, of course. Have you not missed it?” The shopkeeper shuffled a stack of papers and set them aside. “Smiling is good for the soul, my boy. When your soul is discontent, the body and heart are not at peace.”
“How true.” Will decided he liked this man. “My sister says my profession sucks the joy from my soul. I need something to combat that.”
To his surprise, Mr. Percival nodded. “Yes, justice is a hard road to travel. Ye need protection against its demands. Let me see,” he mumbled as he opened the glass case from his side and began rummaging among the jewelry and knick-knacks.
Justice? Did Percival know Will’s profession? He shook his head. That was ridiculous.
“Here we are. It’s just the thing,” said the shopkeeper, holding out a small marble figurine in his bony fingers. “The Asian Fu dog.”
“A what?” Will placed the tiny piece in his palm, a grin spreading across his face.
“It’s very… interesting.” The miniature canine stood on four legs, with its mouth open and tongue lolling.
Small concentric circles covered its body, with intricate designs decorating its legs and head, which seemed more lion than dog.
Its tail curled up and connected to its back, where armor had been created to protect its neck and shoulders. “What is the purpose of this… charm?”
“Ah, the Fu is an ancient Chinese guard lion. It symbolizes protection and good fortune. The lions were placed at the entrance of homes and temples to ward off negative forces and attract positive ones. He will help you maintain your balance between the dark and the light.” Percival’s arms spread wide.
“When the shadows threaten to envelop ye, the Fu dog will pull ye to the light and ease yer heavy load.”
Will raised the minuscule statue and studied it closely. The craftsmanship was superb, and he could swear the beast was smiling at him. As he stood there, his shoulders relaxed. His mood lifted. His gaze went from the charm to the odd elderly man across from him.
“Attach it to yer watch fob, and ye’ll find yerself humming a jaunty tune on the way home.”
Will nodded. “You’ve convinced me. How much?”
Mr. Percival shook his head, then pushed his spectacles farther back on his large nose. “Ye must trade it for something you hold dear, or it will do ye no good.”
“Something dear? What kind of business is this? How can you make a profit without coin in hand?” This was absurd.
“Ye know better than me that not every payment is profitable,” countered the old man. “That’s my offer, no purchase but a trade.”
Will covered his eyes with a hand. He did want this charm, had an inexplicable need to have this bizarre creature.
“How about swapping one service for another? You have provided me with this”—he held up his hand with the Fu dog—”and I shall give you my calling card.
If you ever need legal counsel, you may call on me. I will do all in my power to help you.”
Mr. Percival’s head bobbed up and down, revealing a shiny bald spot at the back. “That will do. Yes, that will do very well.” He held out his hand and accepted Will’s card, almost giggling as he tucked it inside his waistcoat.