“Still, I refuse to give up on this. You haven’t seen me when determined. I promise you, you will have a chance to dance with him this evening.”
“You didn’t need to promise me anything.”
“No, but you promised me a recap of anything exciting that happens tonight, and I’m afraid that recap will be rather boring with Mr. Harrison locked up in his room.”
Lucy smiled as if she believed Mrs. Tucker, but what was the woman going to do? Barge into his room and force him to come? Neither of them even knew where he lived.
When the two of them reached town, lights were shining in every window of the inn. The front doors were propped open, and already groups of people crowded around the table. Mrs. Tucker put the rolls she’d made onto one of the tables and then glanced around the room.
“You’re right,” she whispered. “I don’t see him anywhere.”
“Remember, he is quite unsociable. Other than the Garvises, he holds everyone at arm’s length.”
Most of the town was already here, sampling dishes and postulating on what the two violinists would play first. There wasn’t a room big enough for dancing in the inn—not unless they moved all the tables. Since it was a mild evening, the two violinists set up near the open doors instead, and the townsfolk would dance in the town square.
Lucy nibbled on one of Mrs. Tucker’s rolls. It was soft and perfectly baked, but somehow it didn’t bring the joy that her cooking usually did. The background hum of the room quieted, and when she turned toward the door, she understood why. Both musicians held their bows up, ready to play.
Mr. Victor came up beside her. “Would you care to dance, Miss Shroud?”
Lucy tried to swallow what bread she had left in her mouth with a couple of nods and a smile on her face. She didn’t want Mr. Victor to believe her rude simply because she’d lost the capacity to eat properly. “Of course,” she finally replied, and not a second too soon. Already Mr. Victor’s eyes were roaming the rest of the party for a different choice, if Lucy hadn’t planned on dancing.
“Wonderful,” he responded, and held out his arm to her. He led her to the street and the musicians started their first notes.Mr. Victor danced like he did everything else—enthusiastically. Between the bouncing notes of the polka and the two of them quickly becoming out of breath, Lucy didn’t need to come up with conversation—a blessing she was grateful for.
By the end of the first dance, she was ready to go home. She’d gotten to know a lot of the townsfolk on Mr. Harrison’s deliveries all over town, but she was leaving soon, and she didn’t feel the need to get to know them better. The only person she wanted to understand better wasn’t here.
She found Mrs. Tucker still inside the inn, speaking to Mr. Miner. They were laughing brightly enough that she hated to bother them, but Mrs. Tucker noticed her and waved her over. “Mr. Miner showed me where Mr. Scarper lives. His door is the only one on the first alleyway down that street.” Mrs. Tucker pointed to a dark, narrow street that ran perpendicular to the town square.
“Oh?” Lucy replied. What else was she supposed to say? Did Mrs. Tucker want her to beg Mr. Miner to find him and bring him to the festival? She would do no such thing. If the man wanted to be left alone, she would leave him alone.
Mrs. Tucker eyed her, but then took Mr. Miner by the hand. “Ask me to dance, already. It has been far too long since I’ve enjoyed an evening like this one.”
Mr. Miner beamed, grabbed her hand and started pulling her toward the door. Mrs. Tucker laughed and allowed herself to be pulled, but as she passed Lucy, she leaned down and whispered. “If he hasn’t arrived by the time I’m done dancing, we are going to go fetch him together. I cannot cope with any more melancholy from you.” Lucy opened her mouth to retort, but Mr. Miner had already pulled Mrs. Tucker away before she had the chance. Lucy wouldnotbe going to Mr. Harrison’s room. The party was in the town square. If he wanted to speak to Lucy, he would come. Lucy shifted away from the tables to a shadowedcorner of the room. She could wait out the evening here and return home with Mrs. Tucker once she’d had her fill of dancing.
Three songs later, her fingers started fidgeting. Another song after that, and her feet started tapping in frustration. Perhaps she should walk home on her own. Mrs. Tucker was perfectly capable of walking home alone later in a town as safe as Fenswallow. Based on the way Mr. Miner’s mustache curved in a smile, he would be happy to escort her home to save her from making the trek alone.
Lucy stood and started to leave, but when she walked out of the inn she saw Mrs. Tucker waving and headed her way. She grabbed Lucy’s arm and pulled her toward the street that led to Mr. Harrison’s room.
“The first alley leads to Mr. Harrison’s door,” Mrs. Tucker said as soon as they were out of anyone’s earshot.
Lucy should have protested. She should have pulled her arm away from Mrs. Tucker and gone home like she’d planned. But this was her chance to see how Mr. Harrison lived, and she couldn’t pass it up. She’d wondered too many times where he went after he dropped her off at Mr. Bennion’s home each night.
Maybe once they got there, they would simply walk by. Perhaps just seeing the door would be enough, and there was no harm in walking by.
They found the alley, small and dark, without any trouble, but before they knew it, the alley had opened up to another street. “Did we miss it?” Mrs. Tucker asked.
“We must have.”
They turned around and retraced their steps. There was one small, damaged door, but it was not the type that would lead to a home, or even a rented room. It looked more like a storage space.
“This must be it,” Mrs. Tucker said.
“No one could live here. There aren’t even any windows.”
“If that is the case, then it shouldn’t hurt if I knock.”
Lucy jumped forward to stop Mrs. Tucker’s hand, but she was too late. Mrs. Tucker rapped loudly, two times, before Lucy snatched her hand away.
Lucy held her breath, certain they would only hear silence. Then they could leave, feeling just the slightest bit foolish for knocking on a door that must contain street lamp materials or brooms and cleaning supplies.
