He led Rose to a corner, further away from the people frantically working at their tasks. When he was satisfied that they were out of earshot, he pulled a red envelop from his coat pocket. Wordlessly, he handed the envelop to Rose.
Confused, she opened the letter. It contained just two short sentences, but the words chilled Rose’s blood.
You took away what I loved. Now, I shall take away everything you love.
The letter was, of course, unsigned, and the pen strokes were careless and aggressive. Rose took a deep breath, handing the letter back to her father. When she looked at him, she could see that the tears he had fought Earlier had begun to fall.
“I am afraid,” he said, his voice breaking. “I fear that this means your safety is in jeopardy. You may be in terrible danger, and I am frightened.”
Rose swallowed her own fear and dread, which was beginning to form a knot in her stomach. She smiled warmly at her father as she took his hands in hers.
“I will be perfectly fine,” she assured him, with far more confidence than she felt. “I promise.”
Her father looked at her face, and his own began to relax, though marginally. She knew that he would not be so easily pacified or reassured, so she decided that she would solve this strange, frightening mystery, before it was too late.
For a moment, her resolve began to falter. She knew that she would never be able to do it alone, and she would not allow her father to be placed in harm’s way while she investigated. But whom could she trust to help her?
The answer came to her as quickly as the dread had settled over her as she had read the brief, threatening letter. The Specter.
Chapter 10
At first, the idea of recruiting the Specter’s assistance brought Rose a grand measure of comfort. Rose was certain, after everything her father had told her about him, that the Specter would gladly render any aid he could.
Filled with hope and determination, she began scanning the crowd of people, hoping to catch a glimpse of him so that she might speak to him alone.
However, as she once more offered her father reassurance of her safety and excused herself, a thought stopped her.
If word should get out that she was conversing and meeting with an actor, especially one as dubious as the Specter, it would very likely ruin her reputation within the ton.
As beloved and respected as the Specter seemed to be, he was still just a thespian, and it would not look savory, for herself or for her father.
Dejected, but refusing to admit defeat, Rose thought for a moment longer. She walked slowly but confidently through the bustling crowd of employees and hired hands, deep in thought now rather than actively seeking any sign of the Specter.
How shall I ever do this? She thought. Briefly, she wished that she had said more to Mary about her encounter with the Specter, so that she could seek her friend’s councel.
However, with her disinterest in theater, despite her great love for Rose, she would likely be of the opinion that Rose should simply let her father and the theater staff trouble themselves over the problem. And she would almost certainly react negatively to the idea of Rose fraternizing with an actor, handsome and charming though he may be.
Just then, Rose saw James, the young stagehand, waving to her and smiling as he passed by her. She smiled and returned the young boy’s greeting.
Then, a new idea formed in her mind. She turned and walked calmly toward the lobby of the theater. She managed to find some stationary and a pen with a full inkwell, and she hid herself in a shadowed corner.
Quickly, before anyone had the chance to spot her, she penned out a short but urgent note, asking the Specter to meet her later that evening, in the place where they first met.
When she was satisfied with its contents, she folded it and once more walked with calm confidence into the auditorium in search of James.
Fortunately, her search did not last long. Coming through a tight cluster of employees who seemed to be intently discussing something, was James.
From the way his face brightened when he saw her, she guessed that he must have been looking for her. She smiled and approached him.
“Hello, James,” she said.
“Good day, Lady Rose,” James said. “Do you have a moment?”
Rose sighed inaudibly with relief.
“Of course,” she said.
James returned her smile and led her to a particularly troubling destroyed section of seats.
Unlike many of the other seats, most of which needed repairs, albeit major ones in some cases, the three to which James led her did not appear to have enough left to fix. Rose could immediately see that they would need to be replaced altogether, and she could guess what James had wished to discuss with her.
Her face must have displayed her thoughts, because James met her gaze and nodded.
“I went to speak to Lord Roxbough,” he said. “But I do not think that he even understood exactly what I was asking. He just grimaced and waved at me, then wandered away, looking very distraught.”
Rose nodded, and her heart squeezed again as she recalled her father’s tired, aging face.
“He is quite overwhelmed just now,” Rose said with a nod.
“What shall we do?” James asked. Now, Rose got the sense that he was no longer just referring to the destroyed seats.
“Well, I have an idea,” Rose said. “I just need you to do me a favor.”
James’s face brightened, and Rose was reminded of just how much help James had been to the theater, despite his young age.
“Of course,” he said. “I will do anything I can to help.”
Rose smiled at the boy again.
“I need you to give this to the Specter,” she said, holding out the letter. She dropped her voice as a couple of crew members passed by where she and James were standing. “And I need you to do this as quickly as possible.”
James nodded, not a trace of puzzlement or inquiry on his face, and Rose felt great love and gratitude for the boy.
“Yes, my lady,” he said, smiling. “I shall go look for him now.”
Rose took his hand and smiled brightly.
“Thank you, James,” she said.
The boy’s smile grew wider as he nodded and excused himself from her presence.
If anyone had wondered at her private huddle with the boy, no one showed it.
Rose breathed another sigh of relief as she went to help a couple of women whom she saw were struggling with an armload of ruined tapestry. As Rose grew closer to the women, she was surprised to see that one of them was the dowager marchioness, Lillian March. She smiled at the dowager warmly and rushed to assist with the large bundle.