Page 46 of The Gentleman’s Thief

“No, no I promise, it was stolen when I had the auction of my father’s collection. I’ll track down this Gentleman Thief, or Dandy Rogue or whatever moniker the fiend is goin’ by these days. I’ll find him, and I’ll get the Staff back if it’s the last thing I do!” Euan said determinedly.

“You were attempting to flee to France!” Cavendish accused.

“No, no, I was following information on the whereabouts of the thief, I swear.” He pleaded. Blake let go of Euan’s hair and pushed him so he sat heavily on his arse. Then Blake began to pace, disgust showing in his scowl.

“I’ve done all I can for our cause, brothers. I provided everythin’ we needed fer the book, I paid fer the binding. I’ve put every last penny I had into our venture.” Euan sobbed.

“And we matched it!” An unidentified acolyte justified with a sneer.

“I know, I know.” Euan placated, his hands raised. There was a moment of silent tension while all sent murderous stares toward Euan and I was fearful someone would give him a thrashing, but Euan said,

“Brother’s, ye must know in your hearts how I love you all. I would be nothing without ye. This problem was not of my making. I am the victim of a master thief. But I will fix this. Please, please give me a chance to prove myself worthy of your love.” He looked up with those beseeching eyes that had melted my core so many times.

I looked away. I could not believe that this simpering wretch was a man I once adored and pined for. I thought, self-piteously, that years of my life had been wasted waiting for Euan to love me. He could never say he truly loved me, but he gave himself and spoke of love so damn easily for this pack of hounds. I was revolted, then I caught myself, and wondered—what kind of cold-hearted monster had I become that I could not feel pity and sorrow for a man who had lost his faith and his path in life? Oh Euan, what happened to you?

The double doors opened again, this time without a warning knock, and for a second I thought Monkman extremely rude. However, a metal cleaner’s pail slid in through the door and then a breath later, a man in a flat cap and a brown caretaker’s overall backed into the room. He was whistling to himself. He held a mop in his hands and was sweeping back and forth seemingly oblivious that he was backing into an occupied room.

“GET OUT!” Benjamin Cavendish roared in a tone that was so horrifying I startled. The man turned a little and with a big floppy walrus mustache and spectacles, I recognized Cavell in disguise immediately, my heart leaped with joy and gratitude that he had not abandoned me. The caretaker did not even flinch with the anger in Cavendish’s order. He nonchalantly leaned the mop against the door jamb, fisted a hand into his overall pocket, removed a rolled-up cigarette, and put it in his mouth, then he struck a Lucifer and lit the cigarette. We stood in stunned silence as a plume of smoke billowed around his head. Then Cavell pulled something else from his pocket that at first glance looked like a large apple. He put to his mouth as if he were taking a bite. Then he turned, and in a lazy Cockney accent, he said

“Oh, I do beg your pardon, gentlemen. Mr. Jennings said I was to scrub the gymnasium floor.” I saw the smoldering wick on the apple-shaped item Cavell held and knew something explosive was about to occur. I was standing at the back of the group of men stupefied by the impertinence of the caretaker. I edged to the side of the group and pulled my neckerchief over my mouth, ready to run.

“Are you bloody deaf? Imbecile. I said GET OUT!” Cavendish roared as if he were talking to riff-raff. But the caretaker didn’t do anything but glance at the strange setup—the group gentlemen in red robes, some still sporting a stiff member, surrounding a naked tearful man on his knees. Cavell’s brows furrowed.

I took a side glance at the pathetic looking Lord Euan Ardmillan and seeing the state of him crushed the joy I’d felt on seeing Sebastian. What would they do to him if he did not find the Staff of Asklepios? It was clear to me now that the cabal planned to use the staff with Leopold and draw on its potent magic. It was a fool’s errand. Not one of these men knew of the power they hoped to play with. They wouldn’t get the chance if I had my way. No one but Sebastian and I knew I possessed the Staff and I would not let it get into the hands of Fratres Seminis.

Euan's eyes pleaded for help. Damn it! I realized that whatever happened, I could not leave him behind to be tortured, or worse. I gave an imperceptible nudge of my head toward the door and understanding something was about to occur, he mirrored me, gingerly moving the neckerchief that had once prevented him from speaking back up to cover his mouth and nose.

“Bleedin’ ‘ell! What the blazes is going on ‘ere, you dirty buggers?” The caretaker exclaimed with alarm. Cavendish’s patience snapped and he thundered towards the newcomer looking like he wanted to knock the man’s block off, but Cavell was way ahead. What occurred next happened so quickly that the acolytes were taken aback.

“Now!” Cavell roared. I grabbed Euan’s arm and dragged him to the wall as the apple was dashed into the cleaner’s pail. I had no idea what chemical was in that pail but the apple exploded with a blinding lilac flame and sent out a vast bilious cloud of choking smoke that had the ghastly scent of rotten eggs to it. Cavendish jumped backward taking other men down with him like skittles. An eerie silence fell. I dragged Euan to his feet, but he had been tied with a broom to keep his legs apart and he could barely walk. I thrust my arm around his naked waist and he hooked his arm over my shoulder. The room had filled with smoke rapidly and the candles spluttered out. Keeping to the wall I staggered holding Euan but quickly I became disorientated. A long-fingered hand grabbed my wrist and led me to the doorway and out into the darkened smoke-free hall.

Calls of “Fire, Fire” were echoing down the corridors. The only illumination in the hall was moonlight streaming through the windows, so it appeared that Sebastian had someone to help him cut the electricity supply, and raise the alarm. Sebastian’s gaze fell upon the naked burden I was dragging and a look of displeasure passed in his eyes—there and gone in a flash.

“I’ll take him,” he said in a cold voice, then tossed Euan over his shoulder like a bag of flour. Sebastian did not lead us to the tradesman’s entrance, but to the door that led down to the tunnel.

“Go, now!“ Sebastian urged. “Your clothing is at the bottom of the stairs. I have nothing for him, so he will have to wear the robe.” He said decisively.

The cut stone steps were icy and damp beneath my bare feet, but I saw that the oak door was open and several lit lanterns were at the bottom of the steps. I hurried down, and after closing and locking the door behind us, Sebastian and Euan followed. I grabbed for my shoes, which I put on without socks. Then I thrust my bare legs into trousers and removed the robe. Euan was shivering with the cold, and so while Sebastian held him to stand; I immediately threaded the warm robe over his head and his arms into the sleeves. I put my socks on his feet and then quickly shrugged into the rest of my garments.

“We will hold him together,” I said as I passed a lantern to Sebastian and picked up the other for myself.

“I’m guessing you know the way now!”

“Indeed. I discovered all of the houses on Adam Street are connected to a smugglers tunnel. I’ve checked that number 11 is still vacant. We will wait there until the furor dies down.”

I nodded, and off we set.

Duplicity

As we traveled from The Strand to Bloomsbury the silence was palpable. In the cab, Euan sat beside me, and as soon as the horses set off he leaned over, laid his head on my shoulder, and reached to hold my hand. Wearing nothing but the red chorister’s robe he was shaking with terror and the wicked chill of the night. On any other occasion before the events at Dunecht Hall I would have been elated by such a gesture, but now my guts roiled like a ship on a turbulent sea. I was torn and did not want his fingers anywhere near my flesh. I had not yet forgiven him for manipulating my affections and attempting to make me a party to art fraud.

Sebastian’s aim tonight had been to sow seeds of discord among the members of Fratres Seminis—make them fear and doubt, and in-turn remove me from their circle. He had successfully removed me from the clutches of the Brothers before the initiation could be completed, and with his attack, made them fear for the safety of their secrets. However, the extraction had not gone completely to plan. Euan was a complication neither of us expected or needed.

Sebastian sat opposite us, his aloof, frosty gaze unable to disguise his displeasure at the scene before him. He was still wearing the caretaker disguise of the walrus mustache, spectacles, and flat cap. We exchanged intense eye contact that could not mask his fury. I wished I could reassure my companion that Euan was simply a tactile man who sought comfort from a friend after a torturous ordeal. But I dared not say a word in Euan’s company. I did not trust him, I did not want to make him aware of Cavell’s disguise—or alert him to my blossoming intimacy with my new friend.

Euan’s head snuggled into my nape and he let out a sigh, the tremors finally subsiding. I glanced down and as we passed a bright street light I saw he stared blindly head—unaware that the man he sought, the Dandy Rogue himself, sat there in front of his eyes. Euan was also ignorant of the fact that the new possessor of the Staff of Asklepios was holding his hand for brotherly comfort.

I wanted to know exactly how Euan had become entangled in this sordid business, and as Euan had pleaded with the Brothers, saying he had paid for the binding, I was certain he knew full-well what the peculiar red book was all about.