A Bullet Or Two

Chapter 5.4

Another ten minutes passed, and they finally found themselves at the shop.

Above the two doors, the sign was slowly eroding. Wooden planks nailed to the wall were waterlogged and chipped. The letters they were positioned in to spell were barely legible. One was already gone. H had snapped off a few months back. Part of the P a couple earlier.

Harper's was the finest workshop in Woods Alley there could be. Home to quite possibly the best carpenter in East City, should Baron actually acknowledge a woman in such a role. Once a glorified opium den and abandoned home, now a business and home for Madam Harper and her husband.

"Good day Mr. Hackett. Do you have to move things every time?"

Still in uniform, Jonnie had entered and surveyed the workshop before allowing Delilah to enter. Once she did, she was greeted by the ever-jubilant Harper and her spotless workspace.

Though the room was compact, and the walls were less than 3 metres apart, Harper kept it in impeccable condition.

Wood piled in a box next to the door. Tools hung from a shelf to the left, where a window jarred open from the top – too small and high to peer out onto the street through. Then on the table, an altar for Harper's craft, lay a stick. Curved at the top where the rich red grain transformed into solid silver, it rested shining beneath the lantern light. It's varnish fresh.

"Is that it?" Delilah rushed forward as fast as her mangled leg would allow her. So fast she almost tumbled down, tripping over her own feet. "It is truly beautiful." The wood slid smooth between her fingers and the metal handle curved to fit her palm. "You have gone beyond my offer Harper. How much did this cost you?" 

Her thumb wrapped beneath an intricately carved bird – indented with lines where it's eyes would be and where (had it not been silver) its feathers drifted from red to white to black the further back from its beak she looked. "Milady, please. Only the best for my Baroness."

"Harp, you know you do not need to call me that."

"I need to practise, Milady." Whisking back the few strawberry strands that escaped the tightly plaited bun atop her head, Harper winked at Delilah. "Try it out. What use is a pretty thing if it doesn't work?"

Delilah twisted her new purchase between her fingers again, tracing the grain as if her eyes were connected to each lighter brown line.

"I'm sure you don't have all day, and neither do I. Walk over to me."

Over in the corner, furthest to the right from the door, was the armchair Delilah had once gifted her dear friend. An old, ragged thing that Baron had intended to discard. But Delilah saw to it that the once green seat was rehomed. And now, she was reassured that her choice of home was best. Lounging into the blanketed chair, Harper crossed her arms across her bosom all the while tapping her heavy boot that tied up to her knees beneath the navy skirt. A smirk etched on her lips.

"And don't you help her, Mr. Hackett. She needs to get moving on her own."

A light chuckle resounded from behind her, emanating from Jonnie as he guarded the entrance.

Pressing the bottom of her new walking stick against the concrete floor, Delilah shakily heaved. With her left hand already curled around the Goldfinch, she shifted her entire weight to her left and then lifted her leg.

"It's so...supportive. I hardly notice it's weight." Delilah cooed as she paraded around the room. One step. Then another. Then another. "You'll like it even more when you see what's inside. Pull the bird." Harper brewed with excitement in the corner, a growing grin accompanied her excessive tapping.

Halting her parade, Delilah admired the stick once more before pulling the wooden bird from the wood.

Atop the door was a lantern. One that lit the entire room when the sun could not reach the windows of Woods Alley. Which, to no inhabitants fault, was more often than not. And from that lantern, its orange glow reflected from the metal blade that emerged from inside Delilah's new walking stick.

Her heart leapt at how well her closest friend seemed to know her. "For protection, of course, at no extra charge. I can't have you missing our tea date again." Delilah twizzled the blade in the light.

"It's fantastic." Delilah grinned back, returning the blade to its holster before hobbling over to her friend. "What would you say to having tea now? I have a few hours spare and I would feel so rude not to repay you."

Somehow Harper's grin widened. Utter glee glowed from her very being as she looped her arm in Delilah's and ushered her to the kitchen upstairs.

"Mr.Hackett, remove that hat and join us." Delilah caught a glimpse of a smile from her guard before he disappeared from her view.

And from then on, she was entranced entirely in conversation with her only friend.