“What was the nature of the meeting?” Emily asked, suddenlyapprehensive.
Mr. Butler came over and stood before her,glowering.
“He said he felt, that in good conscience, he must inform me of some startling information about you that would preclude our firm representingyou.”
Now Emily was really frightened. What was Silas up to now? “What sort of information?” she asked, barely above awhisper.
Mr. Butler then said, very darkly, “He accuses you of seeking his help for your career by offering to compromiseyourself.”
Emily was unable to speak, she was soshocked.
Mark stood up. “Sir, that is an abominable accusation and a lie! Miss Emily is in every way an honorable younglady.”
“Not according to Mr. Skeffington, whom I have known for many years, and who has a sterling reputation in the world of professionalmusic.”
Emily could see a flash of doubt cross Mark’s face as he turned to her. “Emily?” he asked, with a pleading voice, challenging her to refute thisclaim.
She suddenly went very cold and calm, as her world crumbled down around her. “Your Grace, do you really need toask?”
Mark’s expression hardened and he turned back to Mr. Butler. “And what sort of evidence did he give you to back up this monstrousaccusation?”
“Just his word, which I trust.” Mr. Butler turned to Emily. “I am sorry, Miss Dunn, we shall be unable to represent you, and once word gets around to other agencies, I am afraid they will refuse you as well.” He nodded. “Good day, Your Grace, Miss Dunn. I am truly sorry, as you are a majortalent.”
“And you will not consider what she might have to say?” Markinsisted.
Mr. Butler inclined his head with a smirk that seemed to indicate that he knew all men would know the real truth. “This meeting isconcluded.”
He rang a bell and the previous gentleman appeared to usher them out of theoffices.
Chapter 28
Standing in front of the office building, both Mark and Emily were in such great shock, they just stood frozen in place. Passersby needed to walk around them, giving them menacing looks for blocking the sidewalk. Neither Mark nor Emily seemed to know what to do next. Finally, Mark straightened himself and said, “Miss Emily, I need to get to the bottom of this. Can you helpme?”
“It depends, Your Grace, on whether you trust me ornot.”
That seemed to surprise Mark. “I simply want to get to thetruth.”
“And how do you propose to do that? Are you going to interview Mr. Skeffington? Are you going to interrogate me? What is your plan?” She was angry now—feeling slightly betrayed by Mark who, she thought, had not given her his fulltrust.
“I would like to visit Alice,” he said. “I want you to tell us both your story and how you think this terrible accusation might have happened. She knows Silas. She knows the music business, and she is a woman. I think it is the fairest way to approachthis.”
Emily immediately thought that was an excellent idea, and it somewhat restored her faith inMark.
“Do you know if she will be athome?”
“I expect she is either working or dealing with the twins. As she so often tells me, that is her life thesedays.”
They took Mark’s carriage to the Savoy residence and were admitted and ushered to Alice’s study where she was at work. She looked up when theyentered.
“Oh, it is you two. How did the meeting with Butlergo?”
“Not at all well,” Emily spoke up. “We desperately need your attention andadvice.”
“Oh… Very well, then. I shall retire with you to the sitting room. And as it is almost lunchtime, will you join me in a simple meal? Nothing fancy on days when Mr. Blake is writing,” she said with a wink toEmily.
Alice had the housemaid set a luncheon table for the three of them in the sitting room and, as they sat down to eat, Mark began by explaining the explosive meeting at theagent’s.
It was clear that Alice was deeply shocked, and she immediately replied. “I do not for a single second think that accusation is true.” She put her hand on top of Emily’s and squeezed it. “My dear, do you have any explanation for how this might havehappened?”
