Pomroy Means Business – Ms. Pomroy

EPISODE 10 of 12 – Sleight of Hand

NOTE FROM THE WRITER:

You will notice a change of direction in the way this episode is written from the rest. Namely, the POV and perhaps even the time is different from the previous episode. That is because, moving forward, each episode will be told from the POV of a particular character and occasionally that POV might happen earlier than when the previous chapter ended. Case in point, this episode begins with Ms. Pomory making her way to the Hangman’s Theater.

Apologies if this seems jarring to you, the reader. I intend in going back to the previous episodes and making this key change to the episode POVs so that the story, when complete, will make sense and flow much better.

TOLD FROM THE POV OF MS. POMROY

The content below was originally paywalled.

Earlier the Same Night

“Evening, Ms. Pomroy,” Jones said, bowing as he opened the carriage door. She had the same driver for years now but it changed nothing. Staff were to address her as Ms. Pomroy and she would see to it that they remained employed, thereby taken care of. 

“Hangman’s Theater, Jones. And see to it you get me there in one piece this time. Last time we went out in the evening I thought I could barely keep my food down.”

She was right to reprimand Jones. He was rather preoccupied by his older brother who returned unexpectedly, looking for money. Lucky for Jones their journey wasn’t very far, otherwise, an upset stomach might’ve been the least of her troubles.

Jones slammed the door behind her and climbed up onto his seat. He grabbed the reins and readied the horses for their journey through lower Wondermere. Inside the carriage, Ms. Pomroy gripped a letter tightly in her hand and read it over and over again, mouthing the words to herself:

“I know who has the deck. You can’t protect her forever.”

There was no signature but it wasn’t necessary. Ms. Pomroy knew exactly who sent it. She just hoped she could get to the theater in time.

When the carriage finally arrived at the Hangman’s Theater, the coachman quickly opened the door for Ms. Pomroy. “You could’ve gone just a little bit faster, Jones.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered, keeping his head bowed.

“Wait for me around the corner. I won’t be staying for the entire show tonight.” She smiled brightly at the patrons standing outside of the Hangman’s Theater waiting patiently to get inside. Whispers could be heard from the gawkers as they couldn’t believe they were seeing Ms. Pomroy there. She was well known to many as the caretaker of the colosseum. It was also believed that she always maintained an air of neutrality when it came to the acts that performed magic in Wondermere. It just wasn’t her place to dabble in the politics that clearly went on behind the scenes. But she didn’t care who saw her just then or what they were thinking. 

“Tabby? Uh—I mean…Ms. Pomroy,” Mr. Dingle stammered as he approached her. “To what do I owe this unexpected visit?”And it was indeed unexpected.

“You mustn’t appear so flustered. I am merely here to cheer on a close friend that I hear is performing tonight,” Ms. Pomroy said, continuing to hold her smile even though it was hurting her face. She can’t recall ever having to smile this much in her life.

“Ah, I see,” Mr. Dingle said, furrowing his eyebrows. He was thinking of all the acts on the bill and he couldn’t quite figure out which of them she would be be familiar with let alone so friendly that she’d risk attending a show. “Well, I will make sure you are well taken care of. Only the best for such a…close friend.” He bowed and walked backwards out of her sight and back inside the Hangman’s Theater. She could hear him shouting to an unlucky staff member who happened to be passing by to prepare their best table for an unexpected arrival.

Once inside Ms. Pomroy quickly looked around. Either she would encounter the person the letter was about or the author of the letter.

“Ms. Pomroy, it is a pleasure. Are you staying to watch the shows?”

Ms. Pomroy turned around, surprised to see Jan standing before her. “Jan? If you’re here then…,” she said, stepping forward to lean in and whisper in Jan’s ear so no one could hear her. “Where is she?”

Jan pulled away and smiled, clasping her hands around Ms. Pomroy’s. “Now, Ms. Pomroy, you know I can’t reveal a magician’s secrets,” she replied loudly, causing those lingering around her to stop and turn. “You’ll just have to be left to wonder like everyone else.” Jan let go of her hands and walked away, putting up the hood of a cloak she wore and leaving Ms. Pomroy to contend with more gawkers shocked to see her there. 

Ms. Pomroy was hoping to go undetected longer but now that would be impossible. She silently cursed Jan for setting her up and wondered why she did it. There was nothing left for Ms. Pomroy to do but smile at the many patrons around her as she made her way into the main room where the stage was to find her seat.

It seemed her table was yet to be brought out from the back so she was forced to stand around while others entered and took their seats at various round tables. 

The Hangman’s Theater wasn’t designed like most other theaters. They made their money from the food and drinks offered so while others had no tables to sit at and instead tried to cram as many patrons through the doors, making money from the cost of entry, the Hangman required reservations and assigned seating. A much more civilized affair indeed. In truth, Ms. Pomroy wished all theaters were this way. She couldn’t abide the idea of people pressed up against each other for an extended period of time and had this chance encounter needed to happen at another theater she likely would not have attempted such a meeting.

“Tabby Pomroy? What brings you here?”

The Great Davoren. Or, as Ms. Pomroy affectionately thought of him, ‘the famous arse.’ She put on as fake a smile as she could easily muster and extended a hand for him to shake. “I heard you would be here. You must be honored to have been invited by the king to give an opinion on a potential act for this years event?”

In truth, Ms. Pomroy was less interested in his answer and more in what she knew was hidden away somewhere on his person. Davoren smiled back. Another strain on another face. The writer of the note she kept concealed on her person.

“Oh, I am deeply honored. As you know, having favor with the king is what keeps you alive in Wondermere?”

“Is that so? I thought it was keeping your hands off his daughter. I’ve always wondered why that is. Is she just not your type?”

“You know me too well, Tabby. What would I want with a woman of brains and beauty? My light burns brightly for you.”

Tabitha wished she had an equally cruel remark to say back to him and would have done if they weren’t interrupted by Mr. Dingle who saw them speaking and could tell by their body language is clearly was not an pleasant conversation.

“Great Davoren, sir. Your table is ready. Apologies, Ms. Pomroy, the traffic backstage is immense, as I’m sure you know already. Your table will be out shortly,” Mr. Dingle said, trying to point The Great Davoren away from Tabitha and towards his table.

“I insist you sit with me as my guest, Tabby,” The Great Davoren said. “And I won’t hear argument against it.”

Tabitha returned the smile but even Mr. Dingle could tell she much rather drink a tall glass of nails. “I thought you’d never ask,” she said, and hooked her hand in his arm so he could walk her to his table. 

When their backs were to him, Mr. Dingle crossed himself and looked up to the heavens in prayer that the night would not go as horribly as he was already predicting.

Davoren pulled out a chair for Tabitha and she sat, rather hesitantly. She didn’t put it past him to pull the chair out from under her. From her past experiences dealing with him, she knew he was never to be trusted.

Before Davoren could sit down next to her someone come up to him and whispered in his ear. Tabitha busied herself with a napkin, pretending not to notice, all the while straining to catch what was being said.

“…are you sure?” Was all she managed to catch from Davoren before the person speaking to him nodded. He turned and smiled down at Tabitha. “If you will excuse me. I have some urgent business I must attend to before the show begins.”

A true gentleman would’ve bowed or at least waited for the lady to acknowledge their departure from the table, but Davoren was no gentleman. He was gone before Tabitha could press him for information.

While Tabitha waited for the show to begin she fielded the occasional hello from those who past by her table. It was highly unusual for her to be there and although she would’ve preferred no one know she was there so as not to arouse suspicion that something was going on, she thought perhaps she could use this level of attention to her advantage. 

Davoren returned, looking a bit rough around the edges and sat down gruffly at the table, forgetting that Tabitha was there. The person who whispered in his ear earlier joined him and sat to his right, only managing a small smile at Tabitha.

“Everything alright, David?” Tabitha asked. She knew calling him by his real name instead of his stage name in public would only make him angrier than he already was.

He turned to her, daggers in his eyes, and smiled, though Tabitha could feel him eyeing her neck to wring it. “Oh, of course. Everything is just fine. And I’ll kindly remind you never to call me by that name in public. I’m surprised at you, Tabitha. I expect better from you.”

“Temper. Temper. Wouldn’t want your fans see you so upset, now would we,” Tabitha said, then leaned over to whisper, “I got your little note. I won’t be threatened by you or anybody.”

Davoren was about to respond when the lights suddenly went out and the host came out on the stage and a spotlight was shone on him. With the show about to begin, Tabitha acted quickly. She knew she only had minutes to retrieve the notebook and make a quick escape. She sat very still beside Davoren and just moved her eyes, trying not to move her head too much, as she could see out the corner of her eye that the person sitting on the other side of Davoren was eyeing her suspiciously.

Tabitha managed to look down and could see, tucked inside Davoren’s unbuttoned shirt, a notebook. She guessed it must be the codex. What else could it be? But how she was going to get it from him without his noticing was going to be the hard part.

The curtains on the stage opened to reveal the first act. The house lights remained off, and only the stage was illuminated. She turned her head away from Davoren and his other guest and caught a sight of someone she recognized who was watching the act from just off stage. She furrowed her eyebrows and ran through her mind the many familiar faces she knew to try and pinpoint who she had just seen. When she looked back they were out of sight.

She needed a distraction. Something that would give her enough time to take it and then leave in the chaos. Mr. Dingle wouldn’t appreciate that sort of distraction on such an important day for him and his theater, but sacrifices had to be made. She was sure she could explain and make it up to him later. While the magician was deep into their magic trick, Tabitha took that opportunity to slip away from the table. She looked back only once to make sure no one had noticed. Not even the person seated next to Davoren, who seemed to be tasked with watching her every moment, seemed not to notice her absence from the table.

She moved to the far wall and started to make her way towards the back of the hall where she could just make out Mr. Dingle, watching the show as well. She raised her hand to get his attention when the host came on stage to announce the next magic act.

 “Ladies and gentleman. It appears we have a change in tonight’s performance. Maranigan the Magician will be performing…” the host paused and Tabitha could see a bead of sweat on his forehead, “the Vanishing Woman.” The crowd gasped and the host ran offstage.

Tabitha looked back at Davoren who was already out of his seat, seething with outrage.

“Damn it,” she whispered trying to get back to her seat, hoping she could intercept him before he was gone but it was too late. By the time she got back to the table, Davoren was gone and the magic act was beginning.

The Vanishing Woman, everyone knew, was Davoren’s great trick. Every great magician has one that they perform best, leaving the other magicians to wonder how it’s done and try their best to emulate it. Others have tried. All have failed. Tabitha sat and watched, but not at the magic act itself, instead at the magician and his assistants who were helping him.

She couldn’t help but grin to herself when she realized who were onstage. Especially the oversized female assistant who was about to enter into a box and vanish. 

When the trick worked and the crowd roared with excitement, Tabitha again rose from her table to follow where she assumed Davoren had scurried off to, backstage. He knew how the trick was supposed to go and probably wanted to see if this act had figured it out.

Backstage she witnessed what she knew to be an obvious sleight of hand trick. If Davoren had been paying attention he might’ve realized what was just taken from him but he was too busy berating poor Mr. Dingle for the incompetent staff and demanding to be let into a room that obviously led under the stage. Tabitha watched as the woman who vanished and a gentleman walked around a corner and out of sight. 

“What are you doing back here?” Davoren asked.

“I could ask you the same thing. Aren’t you supposed to be out front watching the acts? Not back here trying to steal their secrets.”

The host could be heard back on stage about to announce the next act and Tabitha left Davoren behind with Mr. Dingle trying to explain why he needed to return to his seat. “…what might the king think if it got back to him that Davoren wasn’t present for the entire show…”

Tabitha stood outside a dressing room where she could clearly hear giggles inside. She knocked on the door before letting herself in.