Chapter 35 – The Dancing Glass

“And if I might ask, where are you going?”

Eleanor cringed when she heard the icy question blow over her shoulder. She had managed to make it all the way to the door unseen, but now she turned to find her aunt watching her from the front stairs.

“Aunt Helena! You’re feeling better?”

“I was. Now I’m feeling wary.”

Eleanor removed her hand from the handle and went back to her aunt.

Helena continued, “You need to learn to sneak better. I would have thought that a long association with Edward would have at least acquainted you with the skill.”

“I don’t suppose it’ll do much good for me to say I’m going out.”

“It’s obvious you’re going out. I’m wondering where you’re going out to.”

“A walk.”

“That’s a convenient word that doesn’t give me any relevant information. You’re not much at lying either, but you do have a way of making the truth work for you.”

“Please, Aunt Helena—”

“I can’t restrain you, child. You know that. It’s no use pleading with me. If you’re determined to go, you’ll go.”

“I know. I’m begging you not to tell my father.”

“Why? He hasn’t ordered you to stay home. Or are you worried that he might ask you where you’ve been?”

Eleanor looked down.

Helena added, “Does it have something to do with the ‘no one’ that called you this morning?” When Eleanor still didn’t answer, the baroness sighed and said, “At least you’ll be accompanied by someone. Is he going to be a better guardian that my son?”

“Probably.”

“Who is he? Answer me truthfully, Eleanor.”

“Someone who’s trying to help me find the man who killed Dominic.”

“But it isn’t Inspector Haley. He’s too much of a gentleman to leave your family wondering where you are. Especially after what we’ve been through.”

“It isn’t Haley.”

Lady Serrs-Comtess moved her cane and took another step down.

“There’s a reason you can’t tell me where you’re going?”

Eleanor nodded.

Another flash of the polished cane and her aunt was one step closer. “And there’s a reason you don’t want your father to know?”

Lady Serrs nodded again.

One last step, and they were standing level, close together, with blue eyes gazing into green ones.

“And you’re not running off to meet up with a lover you know I wouldn’t approve of?”

Eleanor blushed. “Oh, I know you wouldn’t approve of him, but he’s not my lover.”

“Very well.” The baroness turned away.

“Very well?”

Helena made her way down the hall. “Very well, I won’t tell your father. Don’t forget you have an appointment this evening with Dr. Stacks. I’ll be expecting you home by eight. Will that be enough time?”

“It…it should be?”

The baroness stopped and partially turned to say, “And you can tell whoever is going with you that if he lets anything happen to you, I will have him hunted down and shot.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Eleanor saluted.

“Good girl.”

When Eleanor was outside, she laughed and held up her skirts so she could run down to the front gate. The only thing better than escaping was escaping with the help of a powerful ally.

As she walked down Marley street, she felt a man fall in step beside her. She glanced over.

“No new face today?”

“Only my regular one,” Penn said. “Are you disappointed?”

“A little. My aunt wanted me to tell you that if you let anything happen to me, she’ll have you hunted down and shot.”

The thief’s eyebrows jumped. “Are all the women in your family as singular as you?”

“I don’t know, but we’re all women of our word.”

“Then I had better make sure nothing happens to you.”

“Where are we going?”

“The Dancing Glass. Have you ever heard of it?”

“No.”

“Trust me, my darling, you’ll love it.”

The Dancing Glass turned out to be a tavern. Eleanor stopped in front of it and stared at the two-story red brick building. The wood trim was all painted a dark teal, and large off-white letters on the trim spelled out the name of the place. Through the windows she could see the dark, ornate wood of the walls. People were already gathering around the tables.

“Mr. Penn—”

“Uh-uh-uh, beloved. Go easy on the name. It’s better known than my face.” He took her arm and pulled her through the door. “I take it this is a first for you.”

“You know it is!” she hissed.

“That’s a treat then.”

Penn guided her through the maze of tables toward the back of the room where a huge counter took up most of the wall. Two men were behind it, wiping glasses and pouring drinks. Behind them was a nook filled with barrels and shelves full of bottles. The shelves also contained a few books and, unless Eleanor was seeing things, a human skull.

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Penn went up to the bartender who was pouring a beer. He had the most enormous mustache Eleanor had ever seen, but since he and his fellow bartender were in a competition to see who could grow the most luxurious lip hair, it wound up looking like a required accessory to their uniforms.

The man glanced up. “Ah! Mr. Todd! Haven’t seen you in a while. Welcome back.”

“Good evening, Griffin,” Penn said.

“Good evening, ma’am.”

“Good evening,” Eleanor mumbled.

“Griffin,” Penn said, “I need to see Ralph. Is he in yet?”

“Ralphie? Not yet.” Griffin finished pouring, set the glass aside, and wiped his hands on the towel he’d thrown over his shoulder. “But he’ll be here, if you’re willing to wait. He has other jobs to finish.”

“How long do you think it’ll be?”

“A half hour or so. We can keep you busy until then. Would you like anything to eat? Anything to drink?”

“That sounds lovely.” Penn slapped down some coins. “Set us up with two glasses of your best beer. You’ll find us hiding over there.” The thief nodded to a lonely table tucked in a corner near the bar.

“Yes, sir.”

Penn put his hand on Lady Serrs’ back and motioned toward the table he’d claimed.

As they walked over to it, Eleanor said, “The skull?”

“Oh, that’s Murray. He’s the bar’s mascot.”

This didn’t seem like an adequate explanation to Eleanor, but Penn seemed satisfied, so she doubted he knew any more.

As Lady Serrs sat down, she asked, “Who’s Ralph?”

Penn went over to his own chair. “I tracked down the egg. It’s currently being watched over by a man named Croft—”

“We have to get it to Inspector Haley.”

“All in good time. Before that, we need to see Ralph.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s the one who found the egg and sold it to Croft, and from what the old man told me, Ralph may have seen who dropped it.”

Eleanor paled.

“I haven’t talked to him yet,” Penn rushed to say. “I don’t want you to get your hopes up too far.”

“I understand, and I appreciate the advice. But why am I here? Did he not want to see you?”

“No, he was willing to talk to me, but I thought you’d want to be here, and I might need you.”

“What do I have to do?”

Griffin stopped by and laid two beers on the table. “Here you are then.”