"Do you know where I can find her?"
"She didn't leave a forwarding address," the other man said in guarded tones.
"Look, Iama friend. This is what I meant to leave for her." Removing the envelope from his jacket pocket, Gavin showed the contents to the director, whose eyes grew large at the sight of the money.
"'Tis a fortune," he breathed.
Gavin withdrew a single note, held it up between two fingers. "This is for you, if you'll tell me what you know."
The man licked his lips. "You really don't intend Evangeline harm? Not like that other man?"
"What man?" Hairs rose on Gavin's neck.
"The one who came looking for her earlier. Didn't leave his card, but he was a right nasty looking brute. I think he meant to hurt her."
"What sort of trouble is she in?"
"I don't know exactly." The man's eyes darted from the money to Gavin's face. "She was a bit of a clam. Which was why she never made it past the bit parts—didn't emote enough, you know. But there was this one time..."
Gavin handed him the money. "Go on."
"Several weeks ago after everyone had left, I found her in the changing room. She was drinking and more than half seas over, I suspect. From what I could gather from her rambling, she'd been seeing a fellow. Some rich toff she was head over heels for. He'd promised her the moon and stars..." The fellow shrugged. "You'd think she'd have known better."
"Did Evangeline tell you his name?" Gavin asked.
The director shook his head. "She wasn't speaking too clearly by that point. She kept crying and saying as how he'd ended the affair and was threatening to hurt her if she didn't leave town."
"And you have no idea where she went?"
The other man shook his head again.
Gavin handed him another banknote. "If you happen to hear from her, tell her the rest of the money is waiting for her at The Underworld."
"Yes, sir. Will you leave your name?"
"She'll know who I am," Gavin said.
27
Ensconced in a chairin Charity's snug parlor, Percy looked at the clock on the mantel. Eight o' clock in the evening. Butterflies swarmed in her belly at the thought of seeing Gavin soon. She needed something to keep her busy until then or she might go mad with impatience.
"Are you certain I can't help with those display case cloths?" she asked.
Charity looked up from the elaborate silver "S" she was embroidering onto dark blue velvet. "No, thank you," she said. "The last time you helped it took me twice as long to finish."
So Percy wasn't the most facile with needle and thread.
"Why don't you have a bite to eat? You haven't touched the collation," her friend added.
"I can't stomach anything at the moment. I'm too excited."
"Heavens, now you're makingmenervous." Charity set down the hoop. Seeing the notch between the other's straight brows, Percy forecasted what her friend would say next; after all, Charity had been uttering the refrain for weeks. "Are you certain I can't dissuade you from this, Percy? I feel very strongly that this is a bad idea."
"I know you do," Percy said, "which makes you twice the dear for helping me tonight. Even when you disapprove."
"Worryis more accurate. Oh, Percy, are you certain this is the future you want? I cannot fault you for being disillusioned with theton, but surely there are options less extreme than this. Within our own circle there are plenty of eligible bachelors—"
"I love Mr. Hunt. He's the one that I want," Percy said.
