Page 15 of Songs and Spun Gold
~
“The accident?” Lotti said, surprise in her voice. “Why do you want to know about that?”
Axel paced across the deserted stage, his movements agitated. The space was dimly lit as usual, but seeing them betterwouldn’t have made him more aware of his surroundings. “It doesn’t feel right. I know the curtains are heavy, but how did one break a bone?”
“The batten came with it.” He could hear the shrug in her tone. “I believe that was what caused the injury.”
Ceasing his forward motion, he spun to face her. Her silhouette was barely visible this morning. “The batten? Aren’t those securely fastened to the ceiling so thatdoesn’thappen?”
“Must have worked its way loose.”
“I’ll have to have a word with the man responsible for maintenance,” he muttered under his breath as he resumed pacing. He glanced up uneasily at the many bars, sandbags, and pieces of scenery suspended in the air above him.
“Put it from your mind. Come, it is time to begin with the first aria from Act Two.”
If one curtain had fallen, could he trust the maintenance man to properly inspect the rest of it? Was it safe for the cast to continue to rehearse?
“Axel.” Her low voice was firmer this time. “Do you intend to sing today?”
What if— “Lotti, what if it wasn’t an accident?”
A rare note of impatience entered her voice. “What do you think, that someone crawled along the catwalk to drop it right as he crossed under? Why would they?”
He didn’t know.
“I do not understand why it concerns you so.”
“Because—”
Because it was too convenient for him. Or would be, if there were no understudy.
“The first aria from Act Two. Or go home and worry there.”
Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck. Then he strode to the center of the stage and faced the empty chairs of theaudience chamber. Lifting his left hand toward the ceiling, he waited for her to play the starting note on her flute.
At least the falling curtain had made everyone aware of the problem. The rest of the supports would be inspected, and no one else would be hurt. Georg would heal, and in the meantime, Axel would enjoy the opening night ofThe Tanner’s Secretwith the rest of the evening’s audience.
And he would not covet the understudy’s role.
~
Axel surveyed himself critically in the mirror. His black trousers were stuffed into the tops of his tall black boots, gleaming with polish. His white shirt so bright it practically glowed in the fading light of the sun. Over that, a perfectly fitted red waistcoat with his family’s coat of arms stitched over the left side of his chest. Short waves of brown hair laying neatly for a change.
He looked every inch the prince.
Not that looking like a prince was a life goal of his. He enjoyed drawing attention, but he preferred it to be from a fine performance, not by virtue of a title.
Satisfied, he abandoned the mirror and quickly crossed his sitting room. Grabbing his black cloak off the hook near the door, he swirled it around his shoulders, holding it in place with one hand while he opened the door with the other.
He was just reaching up to fasten the clasp when a hand settled on his shoulder, surprising him.
“And where are you off to?” his mother asked as she wrapped him in a hug.
Axel quickly finished with the clasp, then worked an arm free to settle it over his mother’s shoulders. “The theater, of course.” He swept his free hand to the side in a grand flourish. “Tonight is opening night.”
Sighing, his mother released him. “Of course. The show you’ve been constantly singing lately. What was it called, again?”
“The Tanner’s Secret. ‘The gripping tale of a young tanner, robbed of his true heritage by an evil fairy, who must seek to reclaim it with the help of his resistant ladylove’,” he quoted glibly.
