Mysterious Seduction

XII. Secret Rehearsals

"Do you agree that this place is marvelous, Byron?" Ellie asked the man, startling him with her presence.

She found him in the garden, beside the well.

He looked around and she nearly caught her breath. The man was beyond handsome. Perhaps the mysterious air around him was an added factor, she thought as she approached.

"This well in particular is quite a mystery," she told him. "I am not even sure if it has water. Some men will take a look at it."

His brows cocked in question. "And what do you plan to do with it?"

"If it proves to be useful, I might consider renovating. But if it nothing but a hole down a garbage space, it will be gone."

Byron looked at the well quite longer than necessary before he turned to her with a smile.

"What if I tell you there is more to this well than you might know?"

-Above and Below

*****

"How much of the details from The World Above did you borrow?" Emma could not help but ask.

She was once more present in the rehearsal. As a matter of fact, it was her fifth visit and by now she could name each actor, dancer and even some of the workers behind the stage without help from anyone.

Wynne turned at her question. The two of them were sitting side by side as the people on stage danced, counting as they did so.

"Again!" he shouted, urging everyone on stage to return to their original spots to start all over. Stella was looking more impatient by each re-take although her performance was not wavering. "Merely a few," Wynne said to Emma, addressing her question.

"Understandable," she said, nodding her head. "Considering you have not been aboveground." Then she paused and narrowed her eyes at him. "Or have you?"

Wynne scoffed. "Of course not."

"Well, you must understand I had to ask."

He frowned yet his lips had twitched into a small smile. His eyes did not leave the dancers as he asked, "Do you believe me to be that capable?"

"To go aboveground? Perhaps," she said with a shrug. "Do you not think Jordan is situated too far to the right?"

"Yes, he is—Jordan! To the right, not to the bloody side!"

The effects of the mirrors came, surprising Emma. She stood up and craned her neck to see where they were coming from, but failed. She had to be behind the stage to see them. She looked down at Wynne and found that he was studying her. When their eyes met, he shook his head and returned his focus on the stage.

Emma sat resumed her seat. "How do they do it? The mirrors. How do they manage to—"

"Magic."

"You and I both know there is no such thing."

"Yes."

"Then tell me," she nearly begged.

He stole a glance at her direction and again, shook his head. Without answering her question, he shouted at the dancers to repeat the dance one last time, making Emma frustrated.

*****

Emma was still in attendance for the rehearsal the next day.

Since she had no companion, Samuel could not ask her to go for a stroll in the park. Although they had done this before in the past without a need for one, Emma found no reason to expect Samuel to invite her. He was being bombarded by useless articles as assignments and could barely go and write in his own home for the things that truly mattered as what he would claim.