‘I am so sorry, Florentia.’
‘I regret many things in my life, but not my son. If it meant I had to go through it all again to have Richard...I would in a heartbeat.’ She reached over and grabbed Lisette’s hand. ‘You must be careful. Promise me that you will stay away from Vincent de Vale. Beware of your aunt. She is blinded by him.’
‘I promise. Come, I’ll help you get changed into your costume if you like.’
‘Thank you, Lisette. You have always been such a sweet girl. And even though I may not be prepared to allow you to take over my position as principal dancer just yet, I want you safe.’
Lisette smiled as she stood up. ‘Everything will work out and I promise I will help you any way I can. Fear not, we will think of some way to keep de Vale away from your son.’
‘Thank you child, but for your own safety I think it’s best that you forget everything I have said. You may be Marie’s niece, but I doubt that will save you from Vincent if he chooses to pursue you.’
Lisette crossed the room and took the white tutu off the rack. It was encrusted with a hundred small, clear jewels that glittered like diamonds in the light. Her mind swirled with Florentia’s revelations. How could she possibly forget it and carry on as if nothing had happened? A thought crossed her mind like a flaming arrow.
‘Dear God, he has Bessie, doesn’t he?’
‘Most probably, yes.’
‘Then how do we get her away from him?’
Florentia shrugged her shoulders. There was a look of defeat on her face. ‘There is nothing we can do. If we confront him or go to his residence... Well Lord only knows what he would do to us and to Bessie. He will release her when he tires of her.’
Lisette squeezed her eyes shut for an instant whilst she tried to think of a plan. Nothing materialized. ‘This is unacceptable. I cannot leave her lingering in his clutches.’
‘Do not underestimate him. He has wealth and powerful friends at his disposal.’
‘That may be, but there must be something I can do. After all, he is only a man.’
‘But that’s where you are wrong, child. Vincent de Vale is the Devil himself.’
Vincent stood in the adjacent room with a grim smile. Through the vent he had heard almost every one of Florentia’s words. His fingers tightened into fists as his mind reeled with possibilities of her punishment. After all these years, she had betrayed him. However, her greatest sin was that of keeping him from his son. Florentia would try to run, now that she thought he had guessed the truth, and he wouldn’t allow that. It was time that the bitch learnt her lesson. Obviously she had forgotten the ones he had metered out to her long ago. It was time to refresh her memory.
He left the empty dressing room and strode to Marie’s office. He banged open the door without bothering to knock. Marie started in fright as she looked up from her desk.
‘We have a problem.’ Vincent slammed the door shut behind him.
‘What has happened?’ Marie frowned as she stood up.
‘Florentia has betrayed us to Lisette. She has told your girl everything.’
The colour drained from Marie’s face and she grabbed onto the desk to steady herself. ‘Everything?’
‘Yes. Well, as much as she knows.’
‘And Lisette believed her?’
‘I assume so, however we may be able to convince her otherwise. We could turn the story and make Florentia appear irrational and besotted with me.’
The worry cleared from Marie’s eyes. ‘You are so very clever, Vincent. That should be easy enough to accomplish. Even if Lisette doesn’t believe the whole story, it will give her pause. At least she will question Florentia’s motives. If we then distract her... I doubt she will call either one of us out.’
‘Distract her?’ Vincent raised an enquiring eyebrow. He walked towards Marie and perched on the edge of her desk. ‘Tell me more, it sounds intriguing.’
‘Very well. But first, what do you think Florentia will do?’
‘She will try and run but we cannot allow that. I won’t have my only son hidden from me again. Really Marie, you should have told me of Richard’s parentage sooner.’
‘Perhaps, but to be fair, Vincent...you have only recently been worried about heirs and succession. Had I told you when she delivered the brat, would you have cared?’
Vincent regarded Marie for a moment. ‘No, I wouldn’t have cared at all. However, now I do and I am vexed with Florentia for spilling secrets that should have remained hidden.’
‘Then we will stop her from running away and punish her for her loose tongue. And by doing that, we shall distract Lisette.’
‘I still don’t understand, my love.’
‘Lisette will become The Imperial’s principal dancer.’
‘Can we do that?’
‘Of course, but I need your help. With my leg I cannot climb up the ladder to the catwalks in the flies. I need you to do it. I need you to position yourself over the stage, just before Florentia’s solo performance in the first act.’
‘Go on, I am spellbound.’
Marie smiled as he took her hand. ‘Halfway through her solo, you will trickle a little water down onto the stage. Just a few drops at a time, so no one will notice. By the end of her performance, your problem will have found a solution.’
‘Brilliant! I do love your devious mind, Madame Devoré,’ he said as he raised her hand and kissed it.
Lisette was standing in the wings when Florentia appeared, ready for her entrance. She gave Lisette a small smile as she dipped the tips her pointe shoes into the shallow box of sand. She took a deep breath as the music rose from the orchestra pit before walking gracefully to centre stage, her face fixed with a broad smile. This was one of her solo performances. On the backdrop was painted a dark and foreboding forest and the stagehands had placed some fake boulders made from papier-mâché on the side of the stage. There were also several trees that had been painted silver positioned upstage. The result was a powerful illusion and from the audience the forest appeared quite magical.
Lisette leant against the wall and watched her dance. Florentia danced as she always did, with joyful enthusiasm. She danced as if she were a young girl who had never had a care in the world; a picture so different and far removed from the trembling woman she had found in the dressing room. Lisette could not but smile as Florentia completed a perfect pirouette.
Sally and Fanny joined Lisette in the wings, both dressed and ready for their entrance.
‘She almost looks as if she’s floating through the air tonight,’ Sally whispered.
‘Yes, she’s perfection,’ Lisette replied. A tiny spark of light caught the corner of Lisette’s eye. She turned her gaze from Florentia and looked.
‘What’s the matter?’ asked Fanny.
‘Oh, nothing... I just thought I saw something.’
‘Like what?’
‘I don’t know, a light...a sparkle. As I said, it was nothing.’ But no sooner were the words out of her mouth than she saw another glint in the middle of the stage. She narrowed her eyes and tried to focus. There seemed to be a thin line of light suspended from the stage to the flies and catwalk above. It took her an instant to work out what exactly she was looking at. ‘Dear God, there must be a leak! Look Sally, water is coming from the ceiling and puddling on the stage.’
Sally twirled around and grabbed Fanny by the arm. ‘Go and get the stage manager as quickly as you can.’
But it was too late. Florentia leapt high into the air. She looked as if she was a fairy princess flying through the enchanted wood. But it was a bad landing. Her foot slid through the wet smear on the stage, causing her to lose your footing. Holding her arms out by her sides, she tried to steady herself, but it was useless. She fell to the floor, like a crumpled rag doll.
Lisette turned to the nearest stagehand. ‘George, get the curtain down! Come on Sally, we have to get to Florentia.’
‘What do you mean?’ Sally said her eyes widening.
&nbs
p; ‘Follow my lead. We have to make the audience think it’s all part of the show.’ Lisette said as she stepped onto the stage.
Lisette travelled across the edge of the stage on pointe in tiny steps. The effect was as if she was hovering through the forest. Sally trailed behind her, copying her every move. They spun together for a minute before pretending to discover their fallen fairy princess. Both ran to her side and cradled her just as the curtains closed.
‘Florentia are you alright?’ Lisette helped her sit up.
Florentia cried out but the sound was drowned out by the thunderous applause of the audience. She fell back on Lisette for support.
‘No Lisette, something is not right. My ankle hurts as if it is on fire.’
Lisette looked down. The ankle was at an odd angle. ‘Try not to move. Help will be here in a moment,’ she said gently.
Florentia stared at her through tear stained eyes. ‘It is the end, isn’t it?’
Lisette couldn’t bring herself to look Florentia in the eyes.
‘You were always such an awful liar. The truth, Lisette. Just tell me the truth.’
‘I think it’s broken.’
‘Thank you. So tonight is the last performance in which I will ever dance,’ Florentia said in a small voice. The stage was suddenly filled with people. Someone moved Lisette out of the way so they could carry Florentia from the stage.
‘Oh, don’t say that!’ Lisette begged.
‘Here Miss Lisette, I’ll take her now. Someone’s gone to fetch the doctor,’ said George the stagehand. ‘And Mr O’Hearly is on his way.’
Lisette nodded, ‘Thank you.’
She straightened up and stared unseeing at the pandemonium around her. One moment Florentia had been the principal dancer of the theatre and in an instant it had been snatched away from her. But as they carried Florentia off into the wings, Lisette walked over to the puddle of water. She stared up at the ceiling. Was it raining? Had there been a storm? The leak had stopped and Lisette’s forehead wrinkled in a frown. Directly above ran a narrow catwalk. Maybe the water wasn’t a result of a roof in need of repair but caused by something much more sinister.
‘Lisette? Lisette... Where are you?’ Marie Devoré called out. Her cane clicked across the stage as she stepped forward.
‘I’m here, Aunt Marie!’
‘But why are you here? You must hurry, there is little time for you to change and prepare. Quickly now, come!’
‘Why?’
‘Merde child, are you dim witted? You must take Florentia’s role. Tonight you are the Fairy Princess. But more importantly, tonight is when you transform into a prima ballerina. Hurry, you must change. Your public awaits.’ Marie said with an air of exasperation.
CHAPTER FIVE
Tinder Michaels walked across the stage. He was dressed in black eveningwear but the flare of the footlights illuminated his deep green silk vest. He looked elegant and just like what a successful theatre owner should be. People shuffled in their seats and slowly the chatter ceased as Tinder stood in the middle of centre stage in silence. Finally, Tinder raised his hands.
‘Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I thank you for your patience. You are no doubt aware that our interval has stretched a little longer than normal — for that I apologise. Unfortunately, what you may not know is that our talented and mesmerising Florentia has had an accident. She will be unable to perform in the second act as her injury — although not life threatening — is of a serious nature. I am sure that you will all join with me in wishing her well and praying for a quick recovery. Therefore, tonight Miss Lisette Devoré will dance the role of the Fairy Princess. I hope that you will make her welcome,’ Tinder said before he bowed deeply and then exited the stage.
The audience began to murmur and talk as they commented on the surprising events. In his theatre box, Evander tensed and leant forward, resting his arms on the rail as if to brace himself. This was an unforseen turn of events.
The music started. The first few pure notes flowed out of the orchestra pit as the theatre lights went down. The noise from the audience quickly stopped as the melody began to build and swell. The heavy curtains drew back and, standing in centre stage, was Lisette.
Evander held his breath as she danced on pointe; she appeared light, even weightless, as if she was buoyed up by the single spotlight that shone uon her. She smiled and effortlessly danced through the air, drawing him into the ballet; drawing him to her. He had watched Florentia dance the part but Lisette brought a magic to the role. And if he didn’t know better, he would swear that she was actually a Fairy Princess. She enchanted the audience with her grace and delicate beauty.
Lisette leaped to the side of the stage and gave Evander a dazzling smile as she passed. Her smile caused something to shift inside of him, as if she filled his mind and his heart. She loved him. He saw it in her face and that made his heart skip a beat. As she spun away from her Prince Gregor, Evander finally admitted something his heart already knew: he was in love with Lisette Devoré.
The epiphany was startling. He loved her. No other woman had ever made him feel like this before. Twin urges of protection and possession merged together and for an instant, Evander felt quite unwell, perhaps even dizzy. The music reverberated and soared as the prince spun her in the air.
Whilst clearing his head, he dropped his gaze down to the audience below. They were enchanted by Lisette’s performance, but more than that, as Evander scanned the faces he saw total adulation from the majority of the males. A spark of jealousy ignited. Lisette was his. She loved him! The idea that someone else would try and take her away ate at his soul. Turning his attention back to the stage he knew that he had to do something, something so Lisette would know just how much he loved her. Something that would secure her to him, so no one could ever steal her away.
Lisette held the audience spellbound from the moment she burst onto the stage during the second act until curtain call. Vincent sat enthralled in his theatre box, a pair of mother-of-pearl opera glasses almost fused in his hand. He studied every one of Lisette’s perfect moves, from the graceful line of her body to the look of euphoria on her pretty face. But as the music built and the pace of the ballet increased, Vincent’s mind started to merge and blend long forgotten images with what he was witnessing on the stage below.
Lisette twirled and the spotlight kissed her profile. There... There she was, Mélisande made flesh once more. The daughter was the image of her mother, both in physical body and in talent.
Vincent’s breath clawed at his throat as an image of Mélisande lying in bed catapulted into his mind’s eye. The early morning sun filtered through the window as she lay asleep with the impossible white sheets barely covering her nakedness. Her brown hair rippled like water across the pillow; the pillow where Vincent’s head had lain not a few minutes before. She was Aphrodite... She was love.
Vincent felt the burn of tears. It was a picture he thought he had buried... Mélisande... So beautiful, so pure of heart. For one night, she had given herself to him. For one night she had bought his soul from the Devil himself. Vincent dragged in a breath. The scolding tears tracked down his face and he left them unchecked. Below, Lisette danced but all he could see was the waking Mélisande. She smiled and he felt his heart beat, she smiled and held out her hand. If only he had taken it, what a life he may have known. On the urging of Marie he was meant to seduce Mélisande, use her and torment her and then leave her shattered. It had been Marie’s plan to usurp her sister’s position. If Mélisande was wretched and frail of heart, she would have been unable to dance and Marie could have taken her place. But there had been something about Mélisande that caught Vincent off-guard. She managed to touch his heart, when he had never believed he had one. She had offered him redemption and a different path but he had turned away. And by the time he had realised what he had let go it was too late. From that morning he was lost, alone in the dark...howling at the moon.
The number finished and Vincent focused on
Lisette. He had wronged Mélisande... Or at least he had allowed Marie to hurt her, to poison... No, he would not think on that. Mélisande was forgiving and good. Perhaps now she had sent him a sign from beyond the grave, one more chance for salvation... Perhaps she had sent Lisette to him.
His thoughts of taking Florentia’s son — his illegitimate son — dimmed. Vincent’s mind whirled with the possibilities. He was tired of the shadows. Now, perhaps, he had been given one more chance to have something pure and untouched. He would marry Lisette and put the past behind him. She would give him an heir, one that was worthy to carry on his name.
Tinder stood in the wings and watched Lisette. To him, she represented the almost unattainable beauty and perfection. He saw the look she gave Lord Gainswith and wished that she would regard him in such a way. The love was evident in her eyes and Tinder felt a stab of resentment. He had offered her marriage and respectability but she had refused him. She could have been his wife, mistress of the Imperial and its prima ballerina. Instead she was willing to whore herself to Gainswith, all for ‘love’. The word stuck in his mind and he scowled. What fools women were.
He could try and forget her by sleeping his way through as many of the girls of the corps de ballet that would let him. But it was Lisette’s face he saw as he coaxed them into his bed, and it was her face he saw when he possessed them. His feelings were twisted, and he could not figure out if he loved her or merely lusted after her. She was fixated in his thoughts and his fingers itched to touch her.
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