Page 47 of Across Space and Time

Jack

It was late in the evening two days later, and Hugh was on his patrol. Jack found him on his route but did not go down to him, as the streets were still rather busy. But he made just a bit of noise on the rooftop to draw the pretty constable’s attention and allowed Hugh to glimpse him disappearing over the rooftops on the way to the Duke’s estate. Hugh smiled to himself as he saw the devilish man. Jack was back, and he was safe.

Jack ran all the way to the Duke’s estate, not bothering with silly horses this time. He left the bag containing the treasures he had procured from other worlds in the woods before he made his way around the Duke’s manor, into the apple orchard. He wanted to find the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil for himself. He wondered if it would look different than any other apple tree.

The orchard was laid out in neat rows. The trees were heavily laden with fruit this late into the season. Jack plucked an apple from one of the trees to examine it but found nothing spectacular about its appearance. He wandered to and fro, unsure what he might find or where to look.

He needn’t have worried. The Tree was deep inside the orchard but in a cleared spot. It was not overly unique-looking, except for what seemed to be the faintest golden glow around it. And a fence. A very tall wooden fence, with a heavy padlock and chain on the gate. “Very subtle,” Jack said to himself. In one bound, he was up and over the fence, landing on the ground inside of it next to the Tree.

Up close, the Tree was no more remarkable. Its leaves and fruit were attractive and shapely, but he compared the apple in his hand to the apples on the tree and saw very little difference. He debated taking one of the apples and biting into it to see what it would do, but the memory of the viscount ripping apart first Toby and then Joseph was not something he wanted to risk for himself.

Once he had examined the Tree, he sprang back over the fence and headed back to the large house. The window of the Duke’s private room had been left open, and he leaped up into it. The man was not there, so Jack poured himself a large glass of the cognac and stretched out in the chair to wait.

He did not have to wait long. The Duke entered the room with a large bottle of wine that he nearly dropped when he saw Jack. “You do know you could use the front door, dear fellow.”

Jack laughed and jumped to his feet. “I would hardly be a harbinger of chaos if I used something as banal as a door.”

“I suppose,” the Duke said, then brightened as Jack picked up the bag and held it out to him.

“Food and drink from several alternate versions of earth, and from two other planets beyond our galaxy.”

“Exquisite!” the Duke said, holding up what looked like a block of cheese except it was a bright purple color. “I dare say you’ve held up your end of the bargain. Where are you staying, that I might deliver your invitation?”

Jack almost listed Hugh’s address before realizing that would be foolish, as the Duke could have someone spy on the place and find out who Hugh was. “I have no one particular residence,” he said, lifting his hand to his forehead with tragic defeat. “But, if you leave the instructions under the little Pan statue in Whitecastle Cemetery, the one behind the mausoleum in the center, I shall check there.”

“I shall have your invitation delivered there in the next day or two,” the Duke said, already pulling out a large, blue fruit with a leathery-looking skin.

“I look forward to it!” Jack replied before heading out the window again.

Sure enough, very early the next day, there was a flat package addressed to ‘Mr. Spring-Heeled Jack, Pan Statue, Whitecastle Cemetery’ under the figurine. Jack carried the parcel back to Hugh’s home, and they opened it in front of the hearth, breaking the violet wax seal. Inside the black envelope was a gold-bordered invitation for Spring-Heeled Jack to attend the next gathering at The Garden of Eden, with instructions on where to meet. There was also a pretty, venetian mask included in the package, made of soft, supple leather. Jack laughed as he held it up to his own face to see his reflection in Hugh’s tiny washroom mirror. “As if I could hide my identity,” he chuckled.

Hugh laughed at that too. Perhaps without the horns and wearing the mask, Jack could pass for a very tall human, but the horns were very obviously attached to him in such a way that they could not be mistaken for any sort of mask or costume. “Probably just a formality in your case.”

“I am curious why they wear masks,” Jack said, turning it over thoughtfully in his hands.

“I suppose that they are concerned about people knowing their identities,” Hugh said slowly. “If it’s a gathering of such rich and powerful members, especially if they are doing things that are frowned upon or even illegal in society, they might want to keep people from recognizing them.”

“Surely they would likely recognize each other,” Jack said. “If they would have had to make the Duke’s acquaintance like I did.”

Hugh suspected none of the other guests had accosted the Duke at the third floor window of his study, but it had been remarkably effective. “Perhaps they are not the only ones at this gathering. If there are others there for entertainment purposes, like Anthony told me, they might know who they are.”

“Hmm. I suppose that could be the case,” Jack said, poking a finger through one of the eyeholes of the mask and spinning it around it. “Do you think perhaps the guests are being violent with them?”

“It might explain why some of them have disappeared,” Hugh said with a frown. He was starting to suspect that might have been what happened to Alexander. “But, if one of them were to complain, it… it’s not like the police would take them seriously.” It hurt for him to say that. He would take it seriously, as he had when he had found out that Christopher and Anthony were prostitutes, because they were also human beings, worthy of dignity and respect. Being a prostitute meant that you got roughed up; it was an ‘expected’ part of the job they had chosen. But just because it was common did not mean that it was right, though he knew many of his colleagues would not feel the same way.

Jack looked over at the frown on Hugh’s face. “I am sorry,” he said softly. “I know that you are doing everything you can to help.”

“I wish I could do more,” Hugh said. “But I am only one person.”

“One amazing person,” Jack said pointedly, and Hugh chuckled a bit.

“Well, thank you, Jack, I appreciate that.”

“So, I shall attend the gathering and report back to you?” Jack asked.

“No,” Hugh said. “I’m going too.”

Jack stared at him in surprise, his bonfire eyes wide. “This does not seem like the type of gathering where plus ones are invited.”

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