eight
Sitting through the afternoon tea with her parents and their guest was sheer torture for Vivienne. Finding out how Lion Boy was faring was the only thing she could think of. She’d been lucky the night of the escape. No one had noticed her absence. But now she was eager to go. Two days had passed, and she hadn’t seen Lion Boy. Dobkins hadn’t received any message from the captain, either.
She couldn’t get to the newspaper for any news of his escape. When Lady Chester had arrived, Father had folded his copy ofThe Timesand set it next to him, hiding the front page.
The chatter about the usual gossip on some scandalous rake went on until Lady Chester asked Mother, “What about you? Any news?”
“We went to see a show, Cade’s Circus,” Mother said. “I wouldn’t recommend it. Quite shocking. Not to mention it was full of dirty people.”
“Cade’s Circus, of course. That’s where that wild creature escaped from!” Lady Chester said, catching her attention.
“Which wild creature?” Vivienne put down her cup of tea.
“Haven’t you heard?” Lady Chester beamed, enjoying the attention. “Cade’s Circus of Curiosities had this creature raised by lions.”
Vivienne frowned. “He’s a normal human, actually.”
Mother glanced at her. Even Father angled a look towards her.
Lady Chester continued, “It doesn’t matter who he is because he’s at large. He escaped from the cage he was locked in, and he’s now somewhere in London. We’re all in danger.” She sounded too excited to be taken seriously. “I hope the police catch him or shoot him to keep us all safe.”
Shoot him?“Do they want to kill him?”
“He’s dangerous.” Lady Chester bit into an oat biscuit. “I would think they will shoot him, so he doesn’t attack someone. An article in theEvening Standardsaid Lion Boy was considered dangerous and shouldn’t be approached.”
Vivienne’s stomach roiled. She folded her hands on her lap not to show how much they were trembling. He wasn’t dangerous. He needed care and compassion and fewer stupid people talking about him.
“Enough of this grim story.” Father patted her shoulder. “Play something for us, darling. Anallegro.”
Playing music would help distract her. She rose and sat down in front of the piano as a knot of worry tightened in her belly. Lion Boy’s scared eyes flashed across her mind. He’d panicked in the cab. Not being able to talk had to be horrible for him. The police wanted to shoot him, and he couldn’t even give his side of the story if he was caught.
She started playing MozartPiano Concerto21 in C minor, but her fingers turned clumsy all of a sudden. She made one mistake after another, playing the wrong tempo and keys. Even a non-expert would find her performance wretchedly poor.
“Well, that was an interesting performance.” Lady Chester resumed drinking her tea. “What is wrong with you, Vivienne?”
Vivienne stood and muttered something about being tired before going back to her tea.
The conversation returned to the Season, and Vivienne focused on her tea.
“When are you going to have your Season, Vivienne?” Lady Chester asked. “All your elder sisters and brothers are married, are they not? It’s your turn now.”
Father cleared his throat. “Vivienne enjoys going to dinner parties and balls. This might be the year she has a proper Season.”
She smiled at him. “I would love a Season.”
“I don’t think so.” Mother straightened her napkin. “There’s no hurry, and going out at night is deleterious to one’s health.”
“Every fledgling must leave the nest,” Father said.
“When it’s ready to fly,” Mother rebuked.
Vivienne didn’t comment. The conversation was nothing new, and while last year she’d wanted to have her Season, now, with the responsibility of Lion Boy, fewer social obligations and demands would be better.
Lady Chester followed the exchange with keen interest. “It’s always difficult for a mother to let her child go into the world, especially after a tragedy.”
Vivienne stiffened.
Mother clenched the silver box with Adele’s hair. “What do you know about that? You didn’t lose any of your sons.” From her tone, it sounded as if she were wishing such pain on Lady Chester.
