When Pascale Auber is forced out of the airship of the evil Dr. Simpelstur, she finds herself rescued by a handsome Ruritanian diplomat, Theo von Hentzau. Pascale soon realizes that Theo is hiding something - something to do with the evil doctor, th...
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It was well past midnight when the flivver landed in a quiet street on the far side of the river. Grey stone row houses stood silhouetted against the sky, like a range of mountains that had been squared-off and squished together. The houses were all identical - tall, and narrow, bay window situated over bay window - and the lamps on the street were all lit, casting a warm, flickering light over the street and footpath. It was not the street with my own home, but it was less than five minutes away by foot. This was not as foolish as you may think - it is easier to make lies believable when you tell as few as possible.
Theo von Hentzau reached to help me down from the flivver, his expression perturbed.
"Are you sure I cannot help you directly to your own door?" Theo asked as I placed my gloved hand in his outstretched one.
"I am sure my brother is waiting up for me," I replied, stepping out of the vehicle. Hentzau still smelled of cinnamon and cardamom, but now the spicy aroma of his hair pomade warred with the other scents, nearly overpowering them as I passed near him on my way down to the ground. "We share a residence; I would prefer he did not know that I had spent the evening dancing with a young gentleman when I told him I was simply going to dinner with my closest female friends."
Hentzau looked amused. "I imagine he is several years your senior and takes your safety very much to heart." Now that both of my feet were safely on the ground, he released my hand. It felt unpleasantly cool after the prolonged contact.
I laughed. "He is about eighteen minutes my junior, actually. We're twins."
Hentzau smiled. "Well, perhaps that is better than having an older brother; my own older brother, dear as he is to me, spends far to much time worrying about my personal affairs. Your brother cannot be worse."
"I am sure your brother only impinges on your activities out of a sense of care and responsibility," I replied, wondering if he was referring to the Ruritanian King or to one of his natural siblings.
"As I am sure is true of yours! Does he often wait up for you?"
I made a face. "Only if I have been out unconscionably late - and you have kept me out unconscionably late, Mr. von Hentzau!"
"I do apologize - but you must admit it has been great fun." For a moment, he looked like he might laugh again, but instead, he frowned. "About my name –" His eyes roamed searchingly over my face. I tried my best to look utterly bewildered. "Please call me 'Theo'. Not 'Mr. von Hentzau'."
"I don't believe that I know you as well as all that," I gravely replied. As much as I was supposed to demonstrate that I enjoyed his company, allowing him to take liberties would be going too far.
"Perhaps not yet," He agreed, looking annoyed. He ran a hand through his hair and the same recalcitrant curl that had escaped at the restaurant fell free again. "But that is why I am hoping you will accompany me to the operetta on Wednesday."
"The operetta?" I asked. I have no doubt that my eyes lit up at the idea, and my own ears can attest to the fact that my voice became breathlessly eager. My reaction was in no way part of my act, either– my interest in Theo von Hentzau might have been feigned, but my interest in musical theatre is genuine.
Theo grinned at my reaction. "I will send your ticket to your postal box tomorrow, and meet you at the theatre. If we meet twenty minutes before the performance, we can enjoy a cup of chocolate in the café."
"That sounds lovely," I agreed. For no reason besides, perhaps, a distrust of asymmetry, my fingers wanted to reach up and push the wayward curl back into place. "See you on Wednesday, then?"
"On Wednesday. You are sure I cannot see you all the way to your door? This seems a quiet neighbourhood, but just the same - "
"I will be fine. I promise."
He looked at me for a long moment as though considering arguing further. In the end, he bowed and stepped back into his flivver.
I stood in the pool of light under a streetlamp and watched until he was out of sight, then disappeared into the shadows to make my way home.
