That just left Tig and Faber.
‘I can explain,’ she began.
‘I don’t want to hear excuses.’ Faber’s jaw was clenched tight as he began picking up his belongings. He laid his comb and his pencils on the dresser at neat, precise angles.
‘At least Euphonia is all right,’ said Tig quietly.
Faber closed a drawer with a thud.
Somehow the professor’s silence was worse than if he had shouted at her. He shook out a blanket and threw it onto the bed. Tig hurried to smooth it out.
‘You were trying to stop another prediction coming true, weren’t you?’ he said at last.
‘I…’ Tig hesitated. She wasn’t sure if it was better to admit it, or if that would only make him more frustrated after his repeated warnings not to listen to the machine.
‘Well?’
‘Euphonia said there was going to be a fire in the chemist. They have a barrel of gunpowder for making fireworks. Me and Nelson know the girl there, I – I couldn’t let her get hurt.’
‘And?’ He crouched down to pick up the carpet bag. ‘Did you stop it?’
‘No. I made it happen.’
Anger and alarm radiated from him like heat from a candle flame.
‘I’m sorry.’
He straightened up suddenly, throwing aside the remaining clothes, and twisted around to look behind him. ‘They’re gone.’
‘What are?’
‘My plans. The plans for Euphonia, and all my notes,’ Panic was written across his face.
Tig joined him in searching the Green Room.
‘You didn’t see anyone?’ He looked beneath the chaise. ‘Think, girl! Think!’
‘I didn’t see anything!’
‘You promised me that you would stay and watch the machine.’
‘I had no choice!’
‘Of course you had a choice. We always have a choice.’
‘It was the right thing to do.’
‘The right thing was to keep your promise, and ignore the predictions. You’ve made everything worse.’
Snell returned, sticking his red face around the doorframe. ‘The building has been searched, Mr Faber. There’s no one here. Probably some street beggar child who saw the open door.’
‘The plans for my machine have been taken,’ said Faber. ‘Does that seem like something a street child would want?’
Tig took the opportunity to skulk away, slipping through the door to the stage. She leaned back against the wall, trying to make sense of everything that had happened in the last half an hour.
Whoever the thief was, they had broken in on the very first occasion that both Faber and Tig were out of the theatre. That couldn’t just be lucky timing. Somebody must be watching them. But who? Could it be someone who worked at the Royale? Why would they want Faber’s plans? And had they heard Euphonia’s prediction?
‘You could have warned me, Euphonia,’ said Tig under her breath. ‘Or Annie. Whoever you are.’
On the other side of the door Faber and Snell were still engaged in tense conversation.
‘Just one of those things. We’ve never had a break-in before. Terrible luck—’ Snell was saying.
‘The loss of my life’s work is hardly “one of those things”, Mr Snell,’ replied Faber. ‘Get out. Leave me alone. We will discuss this later.’
Once Snell left, Faber emerged from the Green Room. Without saying a word to Tig, he crossed to Euphonia and stood at one end. He snapped his fingers and pointed to the other end of the machine, then lifted its side so the legs came up off the ground.
Tig went to pick up the machine without complaint. In silence they carried it into the Green Room, Faber walking backwards, and set it down against the wall. ‘You can go now.’
Waiting in the Wings
Ten minutes before the show was due to begin that evening, Faber still hadn’t emerged from his room.
Tig tapped on the Green Room door.
‘Professor, it’s Tig. The audience are waiting.’
There was a scraping noise and finally the door opened. Once inside she saw that he had rearranged the furniture – it looked as though he had been barricading the door with the dressing table.
‘I’m not going out there.’
‘You have to. We’ll lose a lot of money if you don’t.’
Faber shrugged. ‘I have enough.’
‘How nice for you.’ Tig folded her arms. ‘And what about the rest of us, hmm? You think we can afford to run this place with no shows?’
Faber looked like he was about to answer, then he closed his mouth.
Tig knew she should stop talking. But after everything that had happened in the last few days – most of the chaos beginning, one way or another, with Faber’s machine – she didn’t have the will to contain herself.
‘In a few weeks you’ll be gone. But we’ll still be here. I’ll still be here. If you lose us money we won’t be able to afford to put the next show on. What happens to me, to Nelson, to all of us?’
Faber looked a little taken aback at this rant. He let out an irritated sigh and stood up. She was sure he was about to show her out and slam the door, but before he had the chance to do anything, Euphonia spoke.
‘A quarter to nine precisely the theatre thief will strike again.’
Tig gasped. ‘Quarter to nine. Something’s going to be stolen during your show!’
‘Enough!’ Faber roared. ‘Will you never learn?’
Angry tears bubbled up and threatened to spill over. She took a deep breath. ‘I’m sorry someone took your plans. I’m sorry I didn’t keep better guard. But at least I was doing it for a good reason. You only care what happens to you. You won’t help when the machine says someone is in danger and you won’t even get up on stage and do your actual job.’
The professor rubbed his hand across his face. ‘Fine. I’ll do the show.’
‘Thank—’
‘On the condition that you don’t try to stop that prediction. I want you to sit in the wings so I can see you during the show, and know you’re not going to get yourself hurt again.’
Tig considered this. She was desperate to do something about the prediction, for the sake of the theatre and everyone in it. But having Faber performing would help the theatre too, and there was a certain relief in having an excuse not to intervene this time – the last few times had gone so badly.
‘Agreed,’ she said.
‘Hurry up, then.’
She lifted the other end of the machine and between them they carried it out into the centre of the stage.
‘One minute to curtain!’ came Gus’s voice from the corner of the stage as he took his place by the curtain ropes.
Tig and Faber went into the wings.
‘Stay here,’ whispered Faber as the curtains rose. ‘Exactly on this spot.’ He strode out onto the stage and the audience applauded.
‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he began in a loud, clear voice.
* * *
It was Faber’s best show yet. The audience loved him, and clapped and laughed in all the right places. When the curtain finally fell at nine o’clock, Tig rushed to congratulate him. They peered inside the Green Room somewhat nervously – it was after a quarter to nine – but nothing seemed to have been taken. Everything was exactly as they had left it. Faber looked relieved as Tig bade him goodnight.
But when Tig emerged into the lobby to close up, she found a commotion. Snell and Eliza were standing in the middle of a group of ten or twelve patrons, all talking at once and looking very angry.
‘Tig!’ shouted Eliza over the din. ‘Run and get the Peelers. We’ve had a pickpocket.’
Deus Ex Machina
Emerging into the cool evening air, Tig wanted to scream and scream and scream. It seemed she couldn’t win.
She went to the corner of Fountain Street and York Street to look for a police officer. The Peelers, as people called them, always walked the same routes at the same time every day, so people always knew where
to find them if they needed help.
Unfortunately, the thieves knew their routes as well, and were sure to do any thieving and burgling when the Peelers weren’t around. She waited for the distinctive dark blue uniform and tall hat to come into view and ran to tell him what had happened. He barked a gruff thanks and set off running towards the Royale, but Tig knew it was too late. The pickpocket would be long gone by now.
Tig watched anxiously as each of the victims took their turn telling the policeman what was stolen. Everyone was very angry, and several were loudly blaming the Royale staff for allowing this to happen. It was the last thing they needed. ‘I want my ticket refunded,’ said one man.
‘Yes, of course,’ Eliza said. ‘We’re very sorry this has happened to you. All of you will have your money refunded.’
‘And what about the money what was nicked?’ another man shouted. ‘I reckon you should be paying us that, too! It’s your fault for letting in a thief! Wasn’t nobody watching?’
‘Everything seems to be in hand here,’ Snell declared loudly. ‘I’m just stepping out, Eliza.’
‘What? Now?’
‘A quick drink or two. To settle my nerves. I’ve had a hard day.’
He didn’t look like a man having trouble with his nerves. He looked excited. He kept his head low as he pushed his way through the mob and out of the front doors, but Tig was sure she detected the hint of a smile. Takings had been good tonight for the first time, but this would cost them a lot of money. Quite a stroke of luck for Snell.
Luck? Or planning?
Would he stoop so low as to hire a criminal at his own theatre?
She leaned against the wall heavily.
‘Hey, Tig?’ It was Nelson. ‘You don’t look well.’
‘I’m fine,’ she said. ‘I’m tired. This week has been too much.’
‘You need sleep,’ said Nelson. ‘You go up to bed. I’ll do the theatre lights, and I’ll lock up once this lot leave.’
‘Are you sure?’ The thought of escaping to the quiet of her own space was so tempting.
‘Of course. Go. Sleep.’
* * *
But she couldn’t sleep. Whenever she closed her eyes she saw Snell’s unbearable smirk. She had fixed Faber’s show and got the audiences coming in. She had beaten him, and yet somehow, he was still winning. They had to get him out of the Royale completely, before he had chance to ruin them.
After a lot of tossing and turning, she got back up, and walked downstairs in her nightgown and bare feet. She crept onto the stage and stood in front of Euphonia. She felt silly, but she didn’t know what else to do. Soft snores came from the direction of the Green Room, but the building was otherwise silent.
‘Euphonia.’ She kept her voice low, so as not to wake the professor. ‘Or Annie, if you’re there. Help me. Tell me what I’m supposed to do now.’
Nothing.
‘Please?’
Of course it didn’t work. She turned to leave.
‘Betrayal.’ It was quieter than usual, a creaking whisper, as if the machine didn’t want to wake anyone either. ‘Betrayal at the theatre.’
Tig marched back out to the middle of the stage. ‘Betrayal!’ she hissed at the machine. ‘What sort of a prediction is that? I already know that Snell’s been betraying us all along!’
Euphonia stayed silent.
‘I need more,’ Tig pleaded. ‘I know about the betrayal, but Eliza won’t listen and I don’t have any proof! If you expect me to stop him, you need to help me. You need to tell me, in plain words, what to do!’
Tig started to shiver. It was cold. Much colder than it had been a few moments before. Did that mean…?
When she turned around, Cold Annie was right behind her. Immediately the ghost stepped forward, passing right through Tig like an icy wind. Annie headed to the back of the stage, and down the steps to hell.
She followed.
Without a candle to light her way, Tig had to shuffle slowly through hell, feeling with fingers and toes for obstacles in her path. Cold Annie waited in the opposite corner, and as Tig got closer, she headed into the storage rooms and then beyond, to the door to Eliza and Snell’s apartment.
Annie walked right through the door. Tig hesitated. She had no idea what time it was – whether Eliza would still be awake, or whether Snell was back home from the pub. Slowly she turned the handle, easing the door open as softly as she could.
The kitchen was empty. The door to Eliza’s room was closed, and Snell’s stood open. He was still out. Cold Annie went into Snell’s bedroom, but by the time Tig got there, she had vanished.
‘Is there something here?’ whispered Tig. ‘What am I looking for?’
Snell’s favourite suit was draped over the high-backed wooden chair in the corner and his musky cologne lingered in the air.
Nothing seemed unusual or out of place. His Sunday shoes were neatly tucked beneath the bed, with his chamber pot – thankfully empty. A handful of creams and ointments lay beside the wash basin. A box of candles sat on a chest of drawers.
There must be something here. Some proof of his betrayal and his plot against Eliza and the Royale. She opened the drawers one at a time, but found nothing except the usual collection of socks and shirts and spare bootlaces. Nothing.
But underneath one corner was a scrap of creamy white paper. She picked it up. There was writing on this one, but she couldn’t tell what it said, because it was written in German.
It was from Faber’s notebook. It must have fallen out, and Snell hadn’t noticed it tucked away beneath the furniture legs.
Tig began frantically searching the room for the rest of Faber’s plans. There was nothing under the bed, or concealed between the pillows.
She even put her hands in the pockets of all his clothes, hoping to find something. The plans and note were not here, but they had been – the scrap of paper was proof. Did Snell think stealing them would make Faber want to leave the Royale? Or had he somehow found out about the predictions?
Should she wake Eliza now, and show her the evidence while Snell wasn’t around? No, she’d go to Faber first. After all the trouble Tig had been in lately, Eliza would be more likely to listen to him.
Snell was standing in the doorway.
‘Rabbit,’ he sneered.
‘Mr Snell.’ She had to think fast. ‘I was looking for my… ah… my pins. I had a box of pins. I thought I might’ve left them here when I was helping Eliza mend her dress earlier.’
There was a darkness in his eyes. He was angry, but it wasn’t his usual, blustery, self-important anger. This was cold and sharp and controlled.
‘You were snooping through my private things. What’s that in your hand?’
‘Nothing,’ said Tig, placing her hands behind her back.
He held out his hand.
She reluctantly passed over the paper, hoping she could buy some time to think of a way out.
He unfolded it. They stood in silence for a moment, as though sizing up their situation.
‘I know you stole Faber’s plans,’ said Tig, sounding braver than she felt. ‘You need to return them to him, now.’
Snell’s scowl became a smirk. ‘Do I really?’
‘Otherwise I’ll tell everyone and Eliza will kick you out of here.’
Snell paused. A smile slowly crept across his face. ‘Excellent idea, Miss Rabbit. Let’s wake them all. Eliza!’ he shouted.
Upstaged
What was Snell doing? It didn’t make sense!
‘Come with me,’ he said, grabbing Tig by the wrist. ‘Eliza! Mr Faber!’
‘Let go of me,’ said Tig.
‘No, no,’ replied Snell. ‘You know best, as always, Tig Rabbit. Let’s wake the whole theatre and let everyone know what’s been going on around here.’
She tried to pull away from him, but his grip was too tight.
‘Give him his plans back,’ said Tig defiantly. ‘And stop trying to sell the theatre.’
‘The plans are long go
ne, Tig. I had no trouble finding a buyer. A machine that can tell the future? Those plans fetched me a pretty penny.’
Tig’s heart sank. The professor’s fears had come true. ‘What are you talking about? The machine can’t tell the future.’
‘Too late to deny it. Gus saw it.’
‘Nothing can tell the future. That snooping toad is wrong.’ She twisted her arm back and forth.
They moved through the apartment and as they reached the exit, Eliza emerged bleary-eyed from her room, bedjacket around her shoulders.
‘Edgar? Whatever is the matter?’
‘So sorry to disturb you, dear,’ he said in a falsely jolly tone of voice. ‘Could you possibly join us upstairs? I’m afraid it’s rather important.’
He opened the door to the stairs and gave Tig a poke in the back.
‘Up you go,’ he said. ‘Let’s find your precious professor and tell him what happened to his plans.’
‘You won’t get away with this.’
Snell dragged Tig all the way to the Green Room and hammered on the door.
‘Mr Faber!’ he shouted again.
Faber’s door opened slightly. Unlike Eliza, it did not look like he had been sleeping.
‘Professor,’ snapped Faber, but he opened the door a little wider. ‘It’s about the break-in.’
The professor glanced from Snell to Tig and frowned. ‘Let go of her, at once.’
Snell handed the scrap of paper to Faber. ‘I found this in Miss Rabbit’s possession.’
Faber unfolded the paper. ‘This is…’
‘Clearly from your book of plans. The book wasn’t with her – she has probably sold it already. And this.’ Snell reached into his inside pocket and pulled out a pocket watch. Faber’s pocket watch.
‘My watch!’ Faber grabbed it out of Snell’s hands.
Eliza caught up with them, squinting sleepily.
‘I regret to inform you that Miss Rabbit is the thief,’ announced Snell.
The Incredible Talking Machine Page 14