When Pascale Auber is forced out of the airship of the evil Dr. Simpelstur, she finds herself rescued by a handsome Ruritanian diplomat, Theo von Hentzau. Pascale soon realizes that Theo is hiding something - something to do with the evil doctor, th...
Theo smiled at me and placed my hand on the crook of his arm. Then we went into the dressing room. The girl who had opened the door stayed outside, as if guarding it.
The room was lit by electric lights and crowded with bits of costuming hanging from racks. The woman who turned to face us had been sitting in front of a large mirror, her elbows resting on a table littered with grease sticks and hair-ribbons. She wore a white silk wrapper over her stage costume. A pretty woman, her fair hair was piled on the top of her head, emphasizing her dark eyes and perfect, bow-shaped lips. It was Cartimandua Silverstar, star of the current show – and witness to the Baratarian Embassy fire.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Theo!" Miss Silverstar exclaimed heartily, standing and walking towards us. She looked quite hale and hearty given her recent experience at the embassy.
"Good evening, Cartimandua," said Theo, grinning.
By now Miss Silverstar was standing very close, enveloping us in a cloud of violet water and a faint greasy scent I supposed was her stage makeup.
"I wanted to thank you for that pot of lanolin base colour you provided me, Theophilus," Miss Silverstar said, placing a hand on his free arm. I felt an inappropriate little jolt of jealousy, even though my own hand was quite firmly placed in the crook of his other arm.
Theo blushed, looking quite pretty for a man. "You said you had such sensitive skin," he said. "It was the least I could do."
Miss Silverstar laughed, a small giggle. "Most men who want to impress me send me flowers, not makeup! Although," she said, turning her curious gaze to me, "perhaps I'm not the woman whom you wish to impress. Who's your friend?"
Theo's cheeks were still pink, but the smile that illuminated his face as he caught my eye sent a warm, reassuring glow into the pit of my stomach.
"Of course. I do apologize. Miss Auber, this is the lady I wanted you to meet, Miss Cartimandua Silverstar. Miss Silverstar, this is Miss Pascale Auber."
I dropped a small curtsey and held out my free hand, which Miss Silverstar ignored.
"Auber, you say?" suddenly peering at me in interest. "Any relation to Dr. Blaise Auber, our second trombone?"
I was surprised to hear my brother's name come out of Miss Silverstar's mouth. "Blaise is my brother," I said.
"How fascinating," Miss Silverstar said, her eyes darting up and down my figure, "I didn't know that Blaise moved in such exalted circles as to be acquainted with our dear Theo."
"Oh! I have not yet had the honour of meeting him," Theo said, far too rapidly. "Though of course I hope to!"
Miss Silverstar looked at us both with amusement, then sighed a mock sigh. "And to think, he never asked to meet my brother!"
Theo, once again red-cheeked, protested, "But you haven't got a brother!"
At that moment, there was a quiet, insistent knock at the door, accompanied by a voice. "Five minutes, Miss."
"Oh, fie," Miss Silverstar complained. "Well, you must both run along then." With a certain tone of pawky mischief, she added, "I suppose I won't see you tonight, Theo? You will be otherwise engaged?"
I could feel heat bloom on my cheeks and looked up to Theo.
"I regret to inform you that is indeed the case," Theo said, his own blush now a feverish red. He began to propel me towards the door, with several hurried "Good evening!"s thrown in.
We burst through the door and were almost thrown headlong as I collided with someone in the corridor. It was not the young female staffer. It was my twin brother, Blaise, wearing waistcoat and rolled-up shirtsleeves but no jacket, and holding a single, red rose.
