Byron faced the highest in the rank of the League of Founders and they had none but one question: How is she of any use?

He smiled before replying.

"She does not know it yet, but she will lead us to the person she serves."

"And how do you suppose she will do that?"

His smile merely widened. "A woman in love will do naïve things."

-Above and Below

*****

Emma came because she was curious.

The theatre was even more crowded tonight as it had merely been two days since the news that Jordan Smith walked out of the theatre, leaving his role vacant.

She knew that majority of the guests tonight were merely present out of curiosity.

Who would be the new actor?

She settled in her seat with Alex beside her. The woman decided to come along to escape Ralph's overprotective tendencies because of her delicate state.

"He ought to be protective. You are almost showing, Alex. And you still drink," Emma whispered to her sister-in-law.

"Nae, I don't. I only make 'im think I do."

She frowned. "But you do drink."

"Nae, I don't."

"Truly?"

"Aye."

"Then why do you make us think you are? What for?"

"Oh, te spice things up between with yer brother. He is rather adorable when irked." Alex retorted with a chuckle. "Ye'll understand when yer married."

Shaking her head, Emma searched the audience for a sign of Wynne. He was not around and it was understandable. He must have his hands full. He had something to prove to the people tonight. The play would still be a success despite Jordan Smith's absence.

The lights dimmed and the remaining guests who were still standing clamored to their seats. Emma went quiet in anticipation.

The first act was the same as the countless ones she saw, but a few things had changed that made it interesting to watch again, as though it was her first time.

Finally, when the act for Byron Glocheshire started, Emma swore she also felt the crowd's bated breath as they waited to see if it was worth coming tonight.

She could not see who the new actor was for like Jordan and many other actors, his face was painted.

But she did not have to see the face for his very movement gave him away. And when he started to sing, Emma knew she need not hear him speak for she recognized the voice.

All of a sudden, she felt a terrible discomfort.

Why?

She ought to have known by now that Wynne could act and sing. She had seen him demonstrate acts to Jordan in the many times she observed their practice sessions.

But it was different.

Now, there were hundreds of eyes looking at him, judging his performance. Now, he was the center of attention.

She mentally poked herself for actually fretting over how people would find Wynne's acting.

But it was apparent she need not be bothered at all for she could hear the sigh of approval and satisfaction around her. And as she did, she bit her lips to fight a smile.

"He ain't bad," whispered Alex beside her. "He brings a different feel," she added.

Emma could only nod as her mind drifted to the next act. This would be where Byron and Ellie would seduce each other.

And just as she began to think of it, Stella Marie entered together with the other dancers. Wynne was in the middle of the stage and she started to sashay closer, singing a melody that still enticed the gentlemen in the crowd.

When they got closer and started to dance, looking into each other's eyes, Emma felt the same uncomfortable feeling at the pit of her stomach. And when finally, the two started to slowly end their dance, the feeling of being wrapped in Wynne's embrace and breathing the same air he was while trapped in his dark, strong gaze, returned to Emma.

The same thing was happening on the stage, just as Wynne wanted it—just as he taught everyone.

The next act would be even worse, Emma thought.

"'Tis the part they kiss, aye?" Alex whispered beside her.

Again, she merely nodded, her jaw tight as she internally fought. Why was she reacting this way?

Wynne reappeared dressed in a different costume. Stella turned to him and the two of them slowly met at the center of the stage, the lights behind them getting dimmer with little ones twinkling above like distant stars.

And just as the lights completely disappeared, Wynne claimed Stella's lips in a kiss.

Just as he had instructed in the practice sessions.

Just as Emma saw Jordan do the same with Stella in the other nights she watched the play.

But it was not just as she expected herself to react.

The feeling almost made her stomach churn until her throat felt like it was about to close on her. She clenched her fists, fighting the unnamed emotion. And that was what she would rather it be—unnamed. She did not want to delve into it, even think about it.

What she wanted to do now was go home.

But she could not do so. Alex would wonder and Wynne... well, what would the bastard think then?

No, she would stay.

In fact, she would stay longer even after the play to congratulation him on his stage debut!

*****

Emma did not have to argue with Alex when she asked her sister-in-law to go on home without her.

With a simple reminder that she ought to be home before everyone else was awake and that if she ever encountered any bandit on the road, she had to tell them Alex's name. "If it doesn't werk, then give 'em yer jewels and go peacefully," Alex further added.

Emma waited until the crowd had dispersed before she went to find Wynne.

"Did you enjoy?" Stella asked when she passed by the back of the stage.

"Yes," she lied.

"He is in his office," Stella told her, already walking away. "And please, do tell him we need a real actor soon!"

She smiled before she knocked on Wynne's office door. When no reply came from inside, she tried the knob and found that it was not locked. Turning it, she pushed the door open and entered the room.

"My apologies!" she cried when she found him shirtless in the middle of the room, wiping the paint off his face with a cloth.

He stopped what he was doing, clearly surprised. When he finally recovered and blinked, Emma cleared her throat and took another step forward, determined not to be distracted by his almost-naked state.

"Were you surprised?" he nonchalantly asked, continuing with his task, his eyes looking at hers.

"Yes, of course," she admitted, trying to sound unaffected.

"Did you like my performance?" he asked with a grin.

She realized his hair was damp with sweat and had fallen over his forehead. He threw the cloth away and proceeded to the washstand at the corner of the room where he started to wash his face with water.

He stopped to look over his shoulder at her. "I was thinking you would be bothered by some acts," he said before he continued to lather his face with soap.

Emma scoffed, her eyes seemingly interested on how the muscles of his back moved as his hands worked. "You mean the kisses."

She saw his bare shoulders move as he silently laughed.

His arm reached back and he said, "Pass me the clean cloth, will you?" When Emma started to reach for the cloth he threw earlier, he added without looking, "And dare not give me the soiled one. I know what you are thinking."

She rolled her eyes and found another cloth sitting on the chair across his table. She took it to him.

He straightened and turned around, wiping his face dry. As he did so, Emma's eyes went to his abdominal area. They bunched as he moved.

She had to admit the man was physically attractive. Why he would choose to hide it behind his oversized coats was a question she no longer bothered to find an answer to.

"They made you uncomfortable then," he said, showing her his clean face. "The kisses."

Emma looked at him incredulously. "Why do you even believe I am bothered? Why should I?" She shook her head. "And may I tell you now before you even ask, that I came to see the play not because I am interested on who the actor would be. I came to see it because I like it."

"You like it," he stated, doubt in his words.

"Yes, of course. It dares to tackle the conspiracy in a subtle way—would you please put on a shirt for decency?" He laughed and obliged, grabbing a clean white shirt neatly laid out on the chair beside Emma. She did not miss his warmth when he walked by. She sighed. "The love story is merely a cover, but deep into it I know you are trying to convey what the League and many others are hiding." Her eyes followed his hands as he buttoned his shirt. "And as I have said before, I want to know how you do your magic tricks. They are different every time."

Wynne merely smiled and sighed as he finished dressing. He still looked rumpled, but at the very least he was decent. "Whatever you say, Emma."

Emma forced a smile on her face. "Well then, I should get going. I merely came to tell you that you did well tonight." She walked to the door, adding, "And Stella begs that you find a real actor very soon." When she heard him laugh, she could not help but add, "She does not seem to like the kiss either."

*****

Samuel came by that afternoon for a quick tea with Emma.

When Lady Alice left them to oversee that day's dinner, he quickly switched the topic from traveling to Sheills to what he intended to find out. "Well?" he whispered to Emma. "What is Wynne doing?"

"I do not know what he is doing today. I am not his butler, Sam," she calmly replied.

"I meant to ask what he has been up to of late, Emma," he said.

She frowned. "Have you had not enough time last night?" When he shook his head, she sighed dramatically in jest. "And I thought I bought you enough time."

"Two of his footmen had been walking around the estate. The two men I hired did not have a chance to even find a bloody window."

Emma sighed. "We do not talk about anything other than the play, Sam."

He showed his frustration by muttering curses under his breath. "I am not cursing you," he clarified to Emma who smiled in understanding.

"You must be cursing yourself then."

"Yes, in part," he admitted, running his fingers through his hair.

She reached for his hand and looked into his eyes. "Sam, you know we have people to go to..."

"Yes, of course, but we have to tread this carefully, Em. We cannot have any of the Trilbys running back to safety the moment they realize the League is on to them. Margaret would most definitely go to her superiors and they would take actions. If they get caught, it would be too late. The Trilbys would once more find a way to hide in plain sight."

"I understand. But you promised, Sam. The moment things get out of hand, we go straight to Maggie."

"Yes."

He checked the time.

"Are you going somewhere else?"

He nodded and stood up. Bending down to plant a kiss on her head, he said, "I will see you soon, love."

Emma nodded with a smile. "I will tell Mother you had to go home early."

"Please, do." He paused when he remembered something. "By the by, are you already preparing for the Theobald party?" he asked.

"Yes, of course. Mother would not miss it for the world."

He smiled. "Good."

*****

When he reached home, he immediately called for two of his footmen.

The men entered his study.

"Well?" Samuel impatiently asked.

"The actress frequents a café near Grey's, milord," said one. "They said she enjoys the tea there with some other actors from the play."

"And after? Where did she go?"

"Oh, she returned to her accommodation at Ulric, milord."

"She truly spends her days there?" he asked quite incredulously.

"She does, milord."

"And when she is not in Ulric?"

"She is having tea, milord."

"And when she is not having tea?" he asked, his jaw tight with impatience.

"Well, she goes to Grey's, milord."

"That is all you found out?"

"She grew up at a village near Hastings, milord. Apart from that, we know nothing else."

Samuel sighed. He dismissed the footmen and leaned back against his chair.

The actress frequents a café near Grey's...

Samuel checked the time. People would still be having tea by now.

He grabbed his coat, intending to chance upon an actress in a café.