Page 6 of The Lady and the Lion (Victorian Outcasts #9)

six

A soft but insistent scraping noise awakened Lion Boy.

He propped himself up, blinking in the dark. Sometimes rats would slip inside the tent, and he always put aside some stale bread to give them. Rats were good company, contrary to what people said. But then again, for those who had friends and pets, rats weren’t company at all.

For a quick, foolish moment, he thought Vivienne had kept her promise and come to rescue him. Hope was a bitter poison.

Murdock allowed him to sleep out of the cage since he was chained, but there was little to no difference between the hard ground of the common hall in the main tent and the cage. At least he had more space to stretch out.

When the lower hem of the canvas wall in front of him lifted too much to accommodate a rat’s body, he tensed. The other night, he’d been lucky when, instead of thieves, it’d been Vivienne. But he couldn’t be lucky twice in a row.

Besides, the chain didn’t allow him to reach the caravans and warn one of the workers, and he couldn’t shout for help. The only good thing was that he was used to feeling pain and could throw a punch to defend himself if he needed it.

The last, silly glimmer of hope that the person approaching might be Vivienne was snuffed out when the large silhouette of a man came into view. Lion Boy breathed harder when the man slipped inside. Closing his fists, he prepared to gather the chain and use it as a weapon.

“No need to worry, lad,” the man said in a low voice, remaining hunched on the floor. “I’m here to take you out.”

What?

He searched the darkness. Only the light coming from an oil lamp lit the hall. The man unfolded the scarf to reveal an unfamiliar face.

“Drop that thing.” The man eyed the chain. “As I said, I’m here to help you. Do you remember me?”

He shook his head.

“I’m with Lady Vivienne. You should remember her.”

His heart jumped to his throat. She did it. She came for him.

“I’m Captain Jackson.” The man stole across the tent on silent feet, carrying the smell of tobacco and whisky. “Is that chain the only thing holding you?”

He nodded.

It was a dream. It had to be. But if it were a dream, his brain would conjure up Vivienne rather than a stranger.

“Don’t do anything stupid, lad, all right?” Captain Jackson crouched to examine the lock. “I bet Cade is a stingy old fart. Stay still. It won’t take long to open this cheap thing.”

His head became light. The tent tilted. He didn’t allow himself to feel any joy. That was a sentiment for when he was free.

Captain Jackson slid a pair of long, shiny tools into the lock and twisted them. A moment later came the wonderful, scary click of freedom. Then the captain gently opened the shackle and put it aside, freeing his ankle.

“Follow me and be careful where you put your feet.” He held the flap up for him, but Lion Boy couldn’t move.

He stared at his free ankle in disbelief. He was free. The meaning of those simple three words was incomprehensible to him.

“Quick,” the captain half-hissed, half-whispered.

The urgency in the captain’s voice shocked Lion Boy. He slipped under the flap, expecting Murdock to jump on him at any moment. His ankle throbbed without the cold grip of the shackle.

Perhaps it was a dream, and tomorrow he would wake up in his dirty cage.

The captain held up a hand, stopping him. One of the workers was walking past on the other side of the canvas wall, humming a tune. Only a layer of fabric separated them.

When the sound of the footfall and the humming died down, Lion Boy followed the captain through a series of turns until the wonderful scent of freedom hit his senses—the smell of coal lingering in the air, of wet soil, and of the Thames.

He filled his lungs with every single smell, because every scent made him feel alive.

“Quickly.” Captain Jackson waved at him. “We must be quick now.”

He winced as his bare feet hit the uneven path that led to the edge of the field. No moon shone in the night, but the distant lights of the city were a beacon of hope.

“Put these on.” Jackson handed him his jacket, hat, and scarf. “Hide your face as much as you can. We can’t do anything about shoes for now.”

The fabric smelled of tobacco but was warm and soft, definitely the finest garment he’d ever worn.

He ignored the stings in his bare soles as they sped up across the field.

They climbed over the low fence enclosing the racecourse, and he paused to glance back at the circus.

The tent loomed over the ground, like a giant hand stretching out towards him.

He hated that place intimately. Escaping had been so easy as to be almost ridiculous.

All it’d taken had been a pair of thin tools.

The captain tapping his shoulder interrupted his flowing hatred.

“Lad,” Captain Jackson urged him on. “We’re nearly there. Come on.”

The circus disappeared from view when they turned a corner. The more distance he put between Murdock and himself, the more his head became dizzy. He doubted it was only happiness. There was something else lurking. Something he couldn’t name.

His pulse sped up when he saw Vivienne wrapped in a dark cloak. She rushed towards them, coming out of a quiet spot.

“You made it.” She sounded breathless.

He wanted to take her hand and kneel in front of her in gratitude but thought better of it. He was dirty, and they shouldn’t linger.

“The cab?” Captain Jackson asked.

“Waiting with Dobkins. We’ll have to walk for a few minutes. I didn’t want the driver to see you two coming out of the racecourse.”

“Good thinking.” The captain patted his shoulder, encouraging him to go on.

“For you.” Vivienne handed him a pair of trousers and a shirt. “I didn’t think about the shoes. Sorry.”

Sorry? She was saving his life.

He slid on the trousers and the shirt. He’d never been so finely dressed in all his life.

Captain Jackson helped him. “Come on, lad. Almost done.”

It had to be a dream. It had.

He followed Captain Jackson in a trance, wishing he could thank his rescuers for giving him a life again.

The walk might have been a long or a short one; he couldn’t tell, but they left the racecourse well behind to follow meandering cobbled streets.

If the area was a rookery or a place fit for a king, he couldn’t tell.

In the semidarkness, the brick walls, the smooth pavement, and the diamond windows looked spectacular, new, and beautiful.

The lamp posts lit the city, hiding the ugly side of it, and he needed that for now. He only wanted to focus on beauty.

Vivienne tossed a few smiles at him, and his heart stuttered.

Next to her radiant beauty and fine clothes, he became painfully aware of his wild looks.

Dirty long hair, untidy beard, and bare feet.

He had to look like the wild man Murdock wanted everyone to believe he was. Yet her smile was sincere.

“The cab is over there,” she said.

They stopped in front of a public house where a cab was waiting. A bright yellow glow came from the window, along with happy voices. For once, he was happy, too. Almost.

“Can we go now?” the driver asked from the box.

“Yes, go.” Vivienne handed him a few coins.

Lion Boy sat on the seat next to Captain Jackson while Vivienne and Dobkins sat in front of him.

He was sitting, but his body was still running, fleeing. He touched the carriage wall and the leather seat, needing to make sure everything was real.

“You’re free.” Vivienne’s shining eyes replaced the moonlight. “You don’t have to see Cade ever again. You have a whole new life ahead of you.”

“Let’s keep the optimism to a minimum,” Captain Jackson said, glancing out of the window. “We’ve barely left the circus. The hardest part starts now.”

The wave of relief and joy Lion Boy expected didn’t come, no matter how many times he repeated to himself he was free.

Instead, sheer, undiluted fear overwhelmed him.

His muscles trembled against his will. The world spun.

His vision darkened, and a choking sensation gripped his throat.

Breathing brought fire to his lungs. The walls closed in on him.

London was so big…the streets would swallow him. He couldn’t do this.

He tried to open the cab door although he wouldn’t know why. But he had to leave. To run away so he would not get caught again.

“What are you doing?” She shut the door with a snap. “You’ll get hurt.”

His breath came out in quick pants. He thumped the seat and the walls.

“What is going on there?” the driver asked, slowing down the horses.

“Nothing,” Dobkins said. “An argument. Please do go on.”

Lion Boy reached out for the knob again, but the captain yanked his arm back.

“Please stop it. You’ll get us caught.” Vivienne’s face filled his field of vision.

He hissed, desperate to shout his fear. His throat hurt with the effort as he thrashed about on the seat.

“Lad, calm down.” Captain Jackson trapped him into a steely hug. “Take deep breaths, close your eyes, and stop moving. You’ll get all of us into big trouble unless you stay calm.”

He struggled to get free, but the captain didn’t loosen his grip.

“Please.” Vivienne searched his eyes. “We’re all in danger.”

“Breathe.” Captain Jackson held him tightly. “Close your eyes and breathe.”

He did as told, but try as he might, breathing didn’t help. The captain gripped him like vines, crushing him. He fought against the captain as panic overwhelmed him again.

“Sorry, lad, but if you leave now, you’re going to get hurt, or worse, caught.”

“You’re safe with us,” Vivienne said. “We don’t want to exploit you as Cade did. You aren’t going to pass from one master to another. We really want to help you. We care about you.”

She’d misunderstood his emotions, and to be honest, he hadn’t even thought about the possibility they wanted to use him. He wasn’t even sure where the panic came from. But her voice calmed his erratic pulse a little.

Dobkins sat horrified in a corner. “What have we done? We’re making his situation worse.”

“He’s frightened. That’s all,” Vivienne said.

“Calm down.” The captain blocked Lion Boy’s arms. “I don’t want to knock you out, but I will if you don’t give me a choice.”

“Tonight, you aren’t going to sleep in a cage or with a shackle on your ankle,” Vivienne said.

As Captain Jackson kept holding him and Vivienne talked to him, he could breathe a little better.

“Keep talking to him,” the captain said. “I think it helps.”

Vivienne inched closer to him. “You’re going to stay with the captain for a while.

He’s an army surgeon with a lot of experience, and he’ll keep you safe until the police stop looking for you.

But you must stay hidden in the captain’s flat.

I’ll visit you. You won’t be alone. Just a bit more patience.

The captain’s flat will be a nice change from your cage.

The circus will have to leave London sooner or later. ”

He regarded her from under the rim of the hat, fascinated by how confident she sounded. The way she’d explained the situation made everything seem so simple and easy.

“We’ll cut your hair and beard and give you new clothes,” she said.

“After the circus leaves London, you’ll be able to go out.

I know I’m not giving you a lovely future for the next few weeks, but this sacrifice will be worth it.

I’ll keep you company as much as I can. We’ll work together, and you’ll be safe and free forever. ”

He stopped shivering, and his breathing evened.

“I’ll be there with you along the way.” She sounded serious.

The captain slowly released him. “Breathe, all right? We’re nearly there.”

A hand on his heaving chest, he sagged onto the seat, wondering why he wasn’t crying. But then again, he wouldn’t believe he was truly free until the circus left London. Until some time passed.

“Don’t be afraid.” Vivienne touched his hand, and he was startled hard enough to jump on his seat and hit the wall with his knee.

“Again?” the driver called. “Enough, or I’ll kick you out.”

Dobkins grabbed Vivienne and pulled her back. “Don’t touch him.”

The captain gazed from Dobkins to him. “Everything is fine, lad. Vivienne, don’t touch him for now.”

When she nodded, Lion Boy’s heart sank. He hadn’t meant to scare her, but her touch felt so good it was painful. He longed for someone to hold his hand or hug him although he knew he was too repulsive for that.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, withdrawing from him.

He shook his head, wishing to let her know she’d done nothing wrong. Freedom had been granted to him, and instead of showing gratitude, he was scaring his rescuers. Not a great start.

They stopped in a dark alleyway, and aside from red brick walls and wet cobblestones, he couldn’t see much. His legs shook so badly he needed the captain’s help to climb out of the cab.

A cold gust blew against his face, clearing his mind. He looked up. The stars twinkled against the black velvet of the sky, and he wondered when the last time he’d seen a starry night had been.

Perhaps months ago in summer when Murdock had let him sleep in his cage outside the tent.

When he looked away, he found Vivienne staring at him with concern. She stretched out her hand as if to touch him, but then she moved back from him. That hurt, but not being able to speak to her hurt more.

He had heard both Dobkins and the captain warn her away from touching him. He watched as she folded her hands in front of her.

“This way.” Captain Jackson led him to a narrow door barely visible in the darkness. He pushed it open and paused on the threshold. “You’d better go home now.”

“But he might need me,” Vivienne said.

“Not now. I’ll take care of him.” Captain Jackson waved him in. “Don’t challenge our luck, Lady Vivienne. Someone might have realised you’re missing.”

“He’s right. Let’s go.” Dobkins tugged at her hand. “And it’s almost dawn. The household will wake up soon.”

Vivienne hesitated. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Lion Boy could only nod.

“Get inside, lad,” the captain said.

He did as told, wishing he could stay outside and watch the sky.

As he stood in the middle of an untidy room, he glanced over his shoulder. Dobkins handed a bundle to the captain. A few whispered words were exchanged before Vivienne raised a hand in farewell. Then she disappeared into the night, and the captain shut the door.

Taken by another moment of panic, he moved to follow her—he needed her presence to keep the darkness at bay.

But the captain stopped him before he reached the door.

“Lad, you must trust me. If you follow her, you’ll cause only problems for her and yourself. You’ll see her tomorrow.”

Tomorrow. There hadn’t been a tomorrow in his life until now.

Each day had been the same.

Now he had a ‘tomorrow.’ And it was terrifying.