Drowning Utopia

Chapter 13: Private Showing

All the next day, Tessa had a bad feeling. After the morning and evening shows, she found herself growing anxious. The fact that she was to share her work with the Count, the Lord of the Underworld, the very thought shook her to the bone, so much so that she cut short her last act to find Marcus.

"Anything?" Tessa asked as she found him sitting in the ticket booth with Tatum counting the day's revenue. "I can't stand this waiting."

"Then I got some good news," Marcus said, "A runner just stopped by and delivered this," the ringleader handed Tessa an open missive, "the Count wants to meet tonight."

"Tonight?" Tessa asked, ripping the message from his hand, "Seriously?" she skimmed over the slip of paper, reading aloud, "It says that the Count wishes to discuss further opportunities. What is that supposed to mean?"

"A double-edged sword if I ever heard one," Tatum said as she finished counting the money and handing the last of it to Marcus.

"Double-edged sword? Really?" The ringleader gave the fortuneteller an exasperated glance.

"Yes." Tatum swiveled on the stool to face him, "The mouse that plays at night risks the owl's delight."

Tessa frowned, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It's an Omale saying," Marcus squinted, looking dubiously at Tantum.

"Sounds like a riddle. What does it mean exactly?" Tessa asked, trying to piece it together in her mind the fraze.

Tantum leaned in as if telling a secret to Tessa, "Marcus is the field mouse; he likes to play at night. With all his haggling and swindling, he risks the owl or luck catching up with him. After all, he does take a lot of risks with his little side jobs."

"See here shekela," Marcus used the Omale term for woman, "I make sure there is bread in your carriage and winter clothes to keep you warm."

"Yes, but you do so at great risk, my little mouse," she gave a knowing smile, "You can't help yourself. The chance to get something better always drives you to take more."

"Oh, nonsense. I know what I am doing," the ringleader puffed. However, Tessa could not miss the slight twitch under his eye, a very subtle tell of his that she had learned to look for. He was nervous, which made her even more so.

Tantum sighed, "All I am suggesting, my love, is that you should be careful with who you deal with. It is not just your neck you are putting on the line." she glanced at Tessa, "Just be careful, my love, for all of our sakes." she gave him a pat on the cheek before rising and stepping out of the ticket booth.

After closing and putting the money safely away, Marcus and Tessa found the Marlow twins. They had earlier insisted on going with them when they went to present to the Count. Tessa was not about to say no. In fact, she was glad for their company, if for no other reason than for their presence to calm her nerves. Gathering Tessa's things, the four of them then proceeded to the road running along the length of the circus grounds. There, they tried to catch a coach.

"You want to go where?" The coachman asked from up on the springboard.

"Pike Stand Lane?" Marcus repeated, reading from the directions on the note.

"No Sir!" the coachman said, shaking his head, his thick mutton chops bristling, "I isn't going up there. Find another taxy."

"Well why not?" Donny asked, miffed.

"Case what happened last week to old Burt." the coachman said, "Another group of ruff-looking fellas asked to be taken up there. Near spooked the horses half to death last time, it did." The driver said as he looked down at them, wide-eyed.