with a sense of shock, was Damon Bathory with a pile of baggage beside him. She felt as if she'd been drenched by the icy water pooled on the glass ceiling above.
He was leaving, sneaking out of town when he had promised --
Too infuriated to think straight, she seethed in silent rage until a whistle sounded to warn everyone on the platform that the train was about to depart. Propelled into action by the sound, and by the call of the conductor, Diana hurried forward.
The engine pulled only five cars and a caboose on this run, four for passengers and one for baggage. Bathory entered a first-class car.
It did not matter to Diana that she was unprepared for a journey. Grimly determined that, this time, she would discover the whole truth about Damon Bathory, she boarded the train.
At this early hour, there were not a great many travelers. The members of Todd's Touring Thespians -- seven men and three women -- had a coach-class car to themselves. Diana had known most of them for years, and they knew her, both as Evan Spaulding's widow and as the woman who wrote "Today's Tidbits." Hamilton Fields, Ralph Leighton, Jeremy Fargo, and Amos Singleterry had been with Nathan Todd's company back when Evan was alive, as had Jerusha Fildale and Patsy Jenkins, a plump and cheerful older woman who played character parts. The new additions were Underly, Lavinia, and a young man named Billy Sims. Patsy sent a cheerful smile Diana's way. Underly and Lavinia greeted her appearance with hostile stares.
Diana hastily slid in next to Jerusha Fildale on one of the bench-style seats and turned beseeching eyes towards the woman who had once been so much more than a mere friend.
In the past, Jerusha had always taken Diana's part, even once against Evan. If, in their days at school, Horatio Foxe's sister had assumed the role of the sibling Diana had longed for when she was growing up, then after her marriage it had been Jerusha who had fallen into the role of slightly older but much more worldly-wise relation.
"I'm sorry," Diana whispered. "Forgive me?"
Jerusha glowered. She frowned. Then she sneezed. She still had the heavy cold that had marred her performance in the title role of _The Duchess of Calabria_.
"You should take better care of yourself," Diana chided her. "Why did you go on if you were sick?"
Jerusha beetled her brows. "The alternative was to let Lavinia butcher the part." She fished a delicate, lace-trimmed handkerchief out of her bosom, blew her nose with a resounding honk, and glared at Diana through bloodshot eyes.
"Oh."
"Yes -- oh. But there's no need for you to apologize. I knew what you did for a living when I told you about Toddy and Lavinia."
Impulsively, she hugged Diana, engulfing her in a wave of lavender scent tinged with the less pleasant smell of horehound drops. She was sucking on one to ease her cough and sore throat.
Her generosity only made Diana feel worse. Jerusha had confided in her as a friend, sharing the painful details of Nathan Todd's betrayal of her affections. He'd abandoned a long-time relationship with Jerusha for a fling with the younger woman, a no-talent hussy whose only previous experience on the stage had been as a magician's assistant.
"I know Toddy says any publicity is good publicity, but I never meant so much to be printed."
Jerusha shrugged. "I am resigned to my situation now, and your column did do some good. After it appeared, every one of our performances sold out."
"Yes, so Toddy said."
Suddenly, Jerusha grinned. "And Lavinia was fit to be tied. Did my poor old heart good to see her so angry."
"Does she know you're the one who talked to me?" Diana asked.
"If she didn't before, she does now." Jerusha swiveled around, a self-satisfied smirk on her face.
Diana glanced back. The subject of their discussion sat two rows behind them, next to Toddy, who looked a trifle puzzled by Diana's presence.
"Ticket, miss?" The conductor stood beside her, his hand out.
He was leaving, sneaking out of town when he had promised --
Too infuriated to think straight, she seethed in silent rage until a whistle sounded to warn everyone on the platform that the train was about to depart. Propelled into action by the sound, and by the call of the conductor, Diana hurried forward.
The engine pulled only five cars and a caboose on this run, four for passengers and one for baggage. Bathory entered a first-class car.
It did not matter to Diana that she was unprepared for a journey. Grimly determined that, this time, she would discover the whole truth about Damon Bathory, she boarded the train.
At this early hour, there were not a great many travelers. The members of Todd's Touring Thespians -- seven men and three women -- had a coach-class car to themselves. Diana had known most of them for years, and they knew her, both as Evan Spaulding's widow and as the woman who wrote "Today's Tidbits." Hamilton Fields, Ralph Leighton, Jeremy Fargo, and Amos Singleterry had been with Nathan Todd's company back when Evan was alive, as had Jerusha Fildale and Patsy Jenkins, a plump and cheerful older woman who played character parts. The new additions were Underly, Lavinia, and a young man named Billy Sims. Patsy sent a cheerful smile Diana's way. Underly and Lavinia greeted her appearance with hostile stares.
Diana hastily slid in next to Jerusha Fildale on one of the bench-style seats and turned beseeching eyes towards the woman who had once been so much more than a mere friend.
In the past, Jerusha had always taken Diana's part, even once against Evan. If, in their days at school, Horatio Foxe's sister had assumed the role of the sibling Diana had longed for when she was growing up, then after her marriage it had been Jerusha who had fallen into the role of slightly older but much more worldly-wise relation.
"I'm sorry," Diana whispered. "Forgive me?"
Jerusha glowered. She frowned. Then she sneezed. She still had the heavy cold that had marred her performance in the title role of _The Duchess of Calabria_.
"You should take better care of yourself," Diana chided her. "Why did you go on if you were sick?"
Jerusha beetled her brows. "The alternative was to let Lavinia butcher the part." She fished a delicate, lace-trimmed handkerchief out of her bosom, blew her nose with a resounding honk, and glared at Diana through bloodshot eyes.
"Oh."
"Yes -- oh. But there's no need for you to apologize. I knew what you did for a living when I told you about Toddy and Lavinia."
Impulsively, she hugged Diana, engulfing her in a wave of lavender scent tinged with the less pleasant smell of horehound drops. She was sucking on one to ease her cough and sore throat.
Her generosity only made Diana feel worse. Jerusha had confided in her as a friend, sharing the painful details of Nathan Todd's betrayal of her affections. He'd abandoned a long-time relationship with Jerusha for a fling with the younger woman, a no-talent hussy whose only previous experience on the stage had been as a magician's assistant.
"I know Toddy says any publicity is good publicity, but I never meant so much to be printed."
Jerusha shrugged. "I am resigned to my situation now, and your column did do some good. After it appeared, every one of our performances sold out."
"Yes, so Toddy said."
Suddenly, Jerusha grinned. "And Lavinia was fit to be tied. Did my poor old heart good to see her so angry."
"Does she know you're the one who talked to me?" Diana asked.
"If she didn't before, she does now." Jerusha swiveled around, a self-satisfied smirk on her face.
Diana glanced back. The subject of their discussion sat two rows behind them, next to Toddy, who looked a trifle puzzled by Diana's presence.
"Ticket, miss?" The conductor stood beside her, his hand out.
Similar Books
