Le Gentilhomme Aimant Sans Pitié - Lockwood x Lucy

Maybe we could, you know, finish the interview?

"Le Gentilhomme Aimant Sans Pitié"

Lockwood x Lucy

Lockwood and Co. Series 

Summary: What happened with La Belle Dame Sans Merci, but reverse.

Sequel: What the Hell is that Chain for?!

————Lockwood————

               "They call him...Le Gentilhomme Aimant Sans Pitié"

When the whisper died in the air, the girl beside Mr Tufnell, chained and dead-silent, uttered a low, long moan.

It was unnerving to say the least; a long sound that escaped her throat like a distant cry for help that barely made it out of a tight grip around her neck. And once again, she was silent.

"Le Gentilhomme Aimant Sans Pitié..." George whispered "The Loving Gentleman Without Mercy...they call him that?"

"They do"

"On account of its deadly masculine allure?"

"No, that was his name. You see, we know who the apparition is: La Gentilhomme Aimant Sans Pitié. He was an actor, you might say, at the turn of last century. Great star in his days, he was, and a wicked and handsome man, let me tell you. Now it seems his walking again. Here, take a look" He produced a folded piece of paper from somewhere inside his jacket and passed it over the table "And for God's sake, don't let Charity here see that!"

I took the paper and opened it, looking at it and letting the others look at its contents. It was a theatrical flyer, printed in vibrant gold, red and black. The illustration was that of a herculean man surrounded by golden smoke while in a 'manly' pose. His outfit was hard to describe, mainly because it was almost nonexistent: his muscular chest was exposed, his strong arms highlighted by the smoke around him, his nether regions covered by cloth being moved by the wind, which threatened to reveal that that should remain hidden. Beside him, in grand bold letters, read:

                                                                  "Le Gentilhomme Aimant Sans Pitié"

                                                                                         Master of Illusion

                                                                                                         In

                                                                                      The Sultan's Revenge

With the address of the Palace Theatre at the bottom, with a date that went almost a hundred years back.

"Le Gentilhomme Aimant. Legendary Adonis, as you can see"

"Yes" Holly said and I noticed how she and Lucy were a little flushed.

"Looks a like a stretch to me, wouldn't you say, George?" I grunted.

"Definitely"

"He was a cruel man in life, is what is said. His looks gave him power over all who lay eyes upon him, and that's the power he has now"

"How can you be certain it is his ghost that's haunting your theatre, Mr Tufnell?" I asked.

"Because Le Gentilhomme Aimant met his terrible end onstage in this very theatre. He was an escapologist, you see. People came from all over London to see his performances of incredible illusions in which he would narrowly escape death. His most famous routine was the one you've just read: The Sultan's Revenge. He was placed in an upright casket, a coffin, which hung from the ceiling on chains. Other men would then impale him with swords, with him screaming from inside. It was all, of course, fake; he'd drop through a trapdoor in the base of the coffin and escape under the stage. Afterwards, he would pop back up when the swords were withdrawn. An easy but tricky to the eye deceit. Until one night it went terribly wrong..." He spoke with passion and dramatic effects, like pauses, hand gestures and voice alteration. A man who knew how to captivate his audience "Some say it was sabotage" He whispered "A vengeful act of his wronged lovers. Others claim that the boy in charge of the lever that opened the trapdoor missed his cue. Either way, Le Gentilhomme Aimant did not drop through the floor when the swords were driven in. His shrieks on the stage were real that night"