Darkest of Times [Albert J Moriarty] - Moriarty the Patriot

Act 4, Scene 1 - The Riddle

"Care to dance?"

"Oh, um, I don't see why not?" She shrugs.

A smirk tugging on his lips, he guides her back over to the dance floor, the pair in hold as they sway to the music.

"I didn't mean to catch you off guard, Miss. I only thought I would steal you away for a dance." He tells her. "I wouldn't want to jump on anyone's toes."

Eleanor's gaze fixates over his shoulder. "No, you're fine. It's only a dance."

"Your gentleman friend was killed off I see?" He queries, his voice grating.

She nonchalantly nods in response. "It seems the Lord of Crime had his way."

"Such a shame. We had such an interesting conversation about the villain himself earlier. Although, his thoughts were rather bold."

Her eyes scan his features from the corner of her eye, his mouth tugged up into a smirk as she answers him. "I admire a man who speaks his mind."

"I see," The man shrugs. "Anyway, you're Miss Eleanor Williams, aren't you? I saw your performance of Macbeth the other week. My name is Baron Ronald Rollinson."

"We're not supposed to use our real identities tonight," Eleanor rolls her eyes discreetly. "Was that not the rule?"

"Who cares for the rules."

As he spins her away with his arm outstretched, a wave of recognition washes over Eleanor. With full view of him, she takes in his facial features beneath the mask and his stature and height.

In the back of her mind, she remembers the previous week of performances, where she took a break outside to see a fellow actress held against the brick wall with a man hunched over her slim frame. She pictures the same grin on that man's face that Ronald sends her right now. She remembers the look on the actress's face as he leaned in, her body pinned to the wall —it sends a shiver down Eleanor's spine.

"You're the man who I spotted too close for comfort with Rosie in the alley behind the theatre, correct?" Eleanor questions. "You were quick to diffuse the situation once I appeared, but Rosie hasn't been herself since that evening."

Ronald shrugs. "She wasn't as interested in me as she let on in the first place. The girl can only blame herself for leading me on."

She raises an eyebrow. "That's false and you know it. You did or said something to that poor girl."

"Are you accusing me of something, Miss Williams?" He asks, a false sense of naivety laced in his words. "That's quite a statement to make about my encounter with the young girl."

Eleanor eyes him carefully from the corner of her eye. "And that was a rather disgusting thing to have done to said young girl."

He leans his face closer to hers, Eleanor attempting to stand her ground despite the look in his eyes and the sneer on his face. "You dare accuse me of that sort of action?"

"It's not the first time I've heard your name in a similar situation," She narrows her eyes. "Let's hope it's the last."

Only a single bead of sweat runs down the back of her neck as the hairs stand on end. Unblinking beady eyes send an icy chill through her bones and he hisses back at her.

"You don't want to underestimate me, Miss Williams. These events have happened more than your naivety will ever be able to comprehend and I can make your life very difficult if you make this public knowledge."

She eyes him, jaw clenched. "You clearly weren't trying to be too secretive the other night and you yourself would be naïve to believe that this information isn't already public knowledge to certain members of said public."