Page 78 of Of Fate and Phantoms
He did not move. His face grew paler by the second, his eyes anxious as they darted past me, perhaps praying his master would suddenly appear and take charge.
Harriet simply gave a small shake of her head and ushered me out the door. She closed it herself and took my arm. "I don't need a coat anyway." Her senses may be acute, but she didn't feel the cold.
"Will your butler get into trouble?" I asked.
"Probably. I don't care. I don't like him."
We hurried to the coach and climbed in. Mink folded up the step then joined Finley and Doyle on the driver's seat. Harriet eyed Alice warily, even after I introduced them.
"Alice knows about you," I said.
Harriet blinked back tears. "You told her?"
Alice smiled warmly. "Don't be cross with Charlie. She knew I'd understand. My nightmares come to life, you see. A few weeks ago an entire army chased me. If it weren't for Charlie, I'd still think I was a madwoman. I'd also be alone in the world."
Harriet's hands had been buried in her skirts to hide them, but she now settled them on her lap, hesitantly splaying them to reveal their full size. "An entire army? How frightening."
I laid my gloved hand over her bare one. "We all have each other now. We're not alone."
"Charlie, are we truly going to speak to someone like me?" Harriet asked. "Someone who can change shape?"
I nodded. "The boys told us about him."
"Have they seen him change?"
"No, but he has gi-normous hands and feet, according to Finley."
"Where is Mr. Fitzroy? Shouldn't he be here?"
"He wasn't at home, but I couldn't let this opportunity slip away. I'm sure the man is harmless. Besides, I thought you might have some questions to ask him, and I suspected you'd want to meet someone like you."
"Oh yes. Very much."
The sun retreated behind the buildings and the muted colors of dusk descended. Lamp lighters began their rounds, blowing on cold fingers before lifting their long poles to the lamp casings. We didn't stop out the front of the Smithfield Market, but drove through to the central avenue dividing the market into two halves. The great iron supports holding up the louvered ceiling yawned overhead, and individual butcher's stores occupied both sides. The market was quiet, having closed to the public hours ago. A few butchers lingered, sweeping away dirt and straw by the light of the lamps, or mopping blood from floors and walls. Enormous hooks swung gently in the breeze. Overnight, carcasses would be brought up from the underground railway and hung, ready to sell in the morning.
The last time I'd been in a butcher's shop, dead bodies had hung from the cold room hooks, put there by a mad doctor employed by General Eastbrooke. I shivered at the memory and pulled the edges of my coat tighter.
Our carriage slowed and finally stopped. I went to open the door, but Alice stayed my hand.
"Shouldn't we merely look?" she asked.
"I can't see him from in here," I said. "It'll be all right. Stay here, if you want."
She didn't get a chance to answer. Harriet pushed open the door and climbed out without waiting for the step to be lowered. I followed her. The smell of blood and meat seemed to come from the very walls themselves. It wasn't powerful, but it would likely never entirely disappear. Up ahead, two men stood talking. The butcher, dressed in a worn leather apron, handed a parcel wrapped in paper to a large man with rounded shoulders. He bobbed his head courteously to the butcher and took the parcel with hands much larger than a normal man's.
"Excuse me," Harriet called out, rushing ahead, her neat bustle bobbing with her brisk steps. She didn't care that her hem skimmed the dirty floor.
"Harriet, wait!" I lifted my skirts and rushed after her. "We need to be cautious."
She didn't stop. "Excuse me, sir, may we speak with you?"
The man glanced over his shoulder, took one look at us and our coach, then turned and ran. Damnation! I ran after him, but he was too fast. I'd never catch him.
"Stop!" Harriet's clear voice echoed along the avenue. "Stop, I say! I want to speak with you. I'm like you! Look at my hands!"
The man's pace slowed. He once again glanced back at us, then he stopped altogether. He did not approach, but Harriet strode up to him.
"Wait, Harriet," I said. "We need to exercise caution."
