Heart of Flame: A Tale Of Sauron

The Rum Line

"The Chauffeur is the stag friend?" Ivy spoke low to Maryanne, grasping her hand as they skipped through the lobby of the swanky apartments just a short drive from the Gilded Cage.

Maryanne cringed. "I didn't know, I swear. I mean, at least he's tall."

Ivy groaned as she peeked over her shoulder at the two men following behind as they turned towards the elevators. Maryanne's date was swinging his walking stick with a silver handle cast in the shape of a wolf's head. Maryanne had mentioned that his name was Rupert Swift.

The Chauffeur still remained anonymous. He ambled alongside Rupert, his uniform jacket tucked under his arm and hands in his pockets, his eyes everywhere but her. That fact annoyed her the most. He'd barely said two words to her the whole drive, congenially chatting with Maryanne and Rupert as he parked the car.

"I think he's nice," Maryanne offered as they stopped in front of the elevator. "Just give him a chance."

Ivy gave a pained smile and refrained from rolling her eyes as the men stopped behind them. Rupert swung his walking stick around and hit the up arrow button. The numbered curve with it's golden arrow over the doors rang out as the elevator dropped down to them.

"So what is this place?" Maryanne asked coyly over her shoulder.

In his well tailored, pinstripe suit and fedora, Rupert appeared like quite the dandy, very different from the usual fella' that Maryanne gravitated towards. Ivy assumed the car must be more of a draw than the man.

Rupert tossed his white scarf over his shoulder. "Just a small get-together of friends."

As they reached the penthouse, Rupert pinched Maryanne in the side flirtatiously, the doors ringing open. Maryanne giggled as Rupert slung an arm over her shoulders and led her into the dimly lit foyer, the dull roar of jazz music in the rear of the richly decorated apartment.

"You two coming or what?" He shouted over his shoulder as they sauntered out of sight.

Ivy and the Chauffeur stood awkwardly in the elevator with him a step behind her.

"Long time, no see," she growled without looking at him. "Where have you been skulking about?"

Before she could strut away he reached past her shoulder for the elevator buttons, his chest grazing her back. The doors slid shut.

"Hey! What's the big idea!?"

"I hear you've got a new boss."

"Yeah? What's it to you?" She scoffed, sneering at his uniform. "Not like you two run in the same crowd."

"No. But I do know him. Better than you think at first glance." He grabbed her hand as they reached the ground floor once again. "C'mon, I want to show you something."

Reluctantly, Ivy followed him through the echoing lobby. She didn't want to admit it but he intrigued her as much as Mal Smith did, their odd conversation still plaguing her. She slid into the passenger side as he started the engine. They drove off into the city, igniting under the summer night sky.

They did not speak, even as as they crossed over the bridge leading out of the island of Manhattan. The Chauffeur held the wheel lightly with bare hands, his leather gloves discarded in the backseat. Her interest was piqued when she noticed a thick gold band on his ring finger.

"Are you married?" She braced her arms over her chest and gaped over at him accusingly. "I don't know what you think you're doing, but if believe for one second I'll have a fling with a married man..."

He didn't look over at her, but flexed his hand before resting the wrist against the wheel with a deep breath. "I used to be."

Something in his voice made her pause. She chewed on her tongue and turned to face the front, squinting into the headlights of the oncoming traffic. "What... what happened?"