Maylily - Chapter 39

As the gray sky’s scattered drops finally turned into pouring rain, the train arrived belching black smoke. With the cold wind joining in, the open-air platform at Purdshire Station was emptier than usual. There were not many passengers disembarking either.

The train, which had departed from a small city in the midlands, was scheduled to continue for about an hour more from Purdshire before reaching its final stop at Daymont. Daymont was a tiny rural village with nothing to boast of except for being the northernmost point accessible by train from Riverton.

Because of that, there were rarely many passengers boarding here for Daymont, and today there were only a handful. For Victor, who had chosen this train as the place of execution, it was the best stroke of luck.

After two days of thought following his trip to Sercock, Victor decided to board the Daymont-bound train instead of going straight to Maylily’s aunt’s house.

Now, just one step remained to reach Maylily.

It was to eliminate any possibility that crucial information gained in this final step might be leaked. Once he learned Maylily’s whereabouts, he could leave Purdshire immediately, making it difficult for Marcus Cobb to set another tail.

Therefore, today he must remove the leech.

Clutching the handle of his bag tightly, Victor took a seat in second class with a stride as casual as ever. As the voice of the conductor announcing the current and final stations faded, the train blew its whistle and set off.

Even at midday, the dim fields and rivers stretched endlessly beyond the raindrop-smeared windowpanes. Unconsciously jiggling his leg as he stared outside, Victor pulled out his pocket watch to check the time.

He repeated this several times. About twenty minutes after leaving Purdshire, Victor rose from his seat and straightened his clothes. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out into the corridor. The tension clear on his face just moments before had vanished without a trace.

He must be nearby…

Walking slowly down the corridor, Victor peered into each compartment through its window until he stopped at the last car. Inside the second-class cabin, with seats for eight, sat the familiar figure in a brown hat—the tail.

Things are going well.

Grinning, Victor entered and sat across from the man. Recognizing his face, the tail flinched slightly, then calmly turned his gaze back to the window. The train was passing along a ridge, overlooking a gorge under low, heavy clouds.

“Lend me a light.”

The man glanced at Victor, who had set a cigarette between his lips, then struck a match from his portable case and handed it over.

Chik. Smoke rose in thin white tendrils from the glowing tip.

After flicking the spent match into the ashtray, Victor turned his eyes to the man. Up close, with shallow lines etched across his face, he seemed smaller than he had from afar.

No need to draw a knife. That will make the cleanup simpler.

Victor’s lips curved as he exhaled smoke.

“The weather was clear until yesterday, but today is dreadful. No luck for such a rare trip.”

“…Indeed.”

“What business takes you to Daymont in this weather?”

“I’m visiting relatives.”

Empty words passed back and forth amid the acrid smoke. When the conversation paused as Victor stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, the man stood from his seat.

“I’ll move to another car and rest until we arrive. Excuse me…”

“Thanks for the light. Have a pleasant journey.”

Rising to follow him, Victor extended his hand for a shake. The man, glancing at him with a reluctant face, reached out—and in that moment, Victor pulled the latch on the exterior door.

The short screech of metal caught the man’s eye just as Victor seized his upper arm and shoved him toward the door. The man’s body slammed against it, and the door burst open. Wind and rain gusted violently into the cabin.

“Aaagh!”

Thrown off balance by the sudden attack, the man flung both arms forward. One hand caught the doorframe, the other grabbed the front of Victor’s coat. Tugged forward, Victor nearly toppled out of the train but braced his limbs against the frame to hold steady.

“Let go of that hand now!”

“Spare me! Please, spare me!”

Hopeless. Smirking at the man’s whitened knuckles clutching the frame, Victor smashed them with his fist.

“Aagh!”

With a scream of agony, the man released his grip. At the same instant, the buttons of Victor’s coat ripped loose under the man’s other hand. Deprived of every hold, the man was swallowed into the bleak landscape rushing past.

Breathing heavily, Victor brushed raindrops from his clothes and grinned.

“It was a pleasure traveling together. Farewell.”

***

After Daisy returned to Purdshire, Maylily went to Mr. Hosier to find a way to cover her tuition. She remembered how, back when she worked at his restaurant, another singer from a different opera company who had also worked part-time as a waitress had been introduced to events through him.

Now that she had debuted at the Roden Opera Company, she felt she was no longer in a position where it would be shameful to ask for an introduction. For Mr. Hosier, who said he charged a small referral fee, it didn’t seem like much of a burden either.

“There happens to be a party looking for a singer, Maylily. The one they originally hired caught the flu, so they’re in urgent need of a substitute.”

Fortunately, since her evening was free that day, she could accept the offer. Imagining herself standing in the grand banquet hall of a noble mansion, Maylily felt a little flutter of excitement.

But a few days later, what Mr. Hosier handed her was the address of a club in Aberque. At first, she worried about the atmosphere of a club said to cater exclusively to noblemen, but she soon pushed the thought away.

It was an opportunity arranged through Mr. Hosier, so surely nothing would happen. More importantly, she couldn’t pass up a chance to earn two weeks’ wages in just one evening.

On the day of the party, Maylily arrived at the club a little earlier than the appointed time and was immediately led to the manager. The man, wearing a narrow-brimmed hat that cast a shadow over his face, looked her up and down.

“Jimmy, I told you to bring me a singer, not a choir girl.”

Twirling his thin mustache and frowning, he scolded an absent employee in a dissatisfied voice. But Maylily knew well enough that his words were aimed at her.

She had gone to the expense of renting a proper outfit, thinking it would be respectable attire. Apparently, it didn’t meet her temporary employer’s expectations. Clasping her hands tightly, Maylily opened her mouth.

“I am indeed a singer from the Roden Opera Company. And I came here because I heard you were looking for someone to sing at the party.”

Her calm reply, clear and bright, eased the sharp lines of the man’s eyes.

“Well, you do sound like you can sing. In the back, there are some spare dresses. Go change into something you like.”

Just then, an employee named Jimmy, who had come out to set ashtrays on the tables, guided Maylily to a storeroom behind the hall.

“If you open the cabinet in the corner, you’ll find some clothes. Other staff might come by to fetch things, so be sure to lock the door before you change.”

In the storeroom, stacked with liquor crates and supplies, a dusty cabinet stood with four dresses hanging inside. Each one was gaudy and revealing. Seeing them, Maylily understood the club manager’s displeased expression earlier.

If this was the kind of attire they expected, then it was no wonder he had called her a choir girl.

Among them, she chose the most subdued option, a dark green dress. The short sleeves and plunging neckline made her uncomfortable, but thinking of it as a stage costume, she decided she could manage. Pulling on long gloves that reached above her elbows, she completed the outfit and stepped out alone.

“Well, so that’s what was in that closet?”

The manager, now pleased, seemed satisfied with her appearance, and Maylily felt a bit of relief. Since this had come through Mr. Hosier’s introduction, she wanted to make a good impression and perform well. Perhaps it could lead to other offers.

Her meager wages were barely enough to live on, and if she was to pay Daisy’s tuition, she needed more engagements.

That night, she was to sing three songs. One was the famous aria from the popular opera Agnes, the other two were art songs.

“Good selections. But aren’t they all rather demanding? Do you think you can manage?”

“Yes, I’m confident.”

Her voice brimmed with confidence, her blue eyes shining clearly.

“You’re a bold young lady for someone so demure-looking. I’ll look forward to your performance tonight.”

With a small chuckle, the manager gave her some instructions for the performance and introduced her to the accompanist.

After completing rehearsal smoothly to the piano accompaniment, Maylily sat on a waiting chair in front of the storeroom, waiting for the party to begin.