Astrid Darby and the Circus in the Sky Read online

many tales of the Cirque.” The server's eyes looked wistful. “I would love to see the show, but a waiter's salary doesn't allow such trivialities.”

  The performer's eyes widened theatrically. “Ah, but, sir! What is trivial about a life changing spectacle? An experience of the deepest and most profound transcendence of reality? Truly a stupefying marvel of mingling modern and ancient pageantry?”

  “That is quite enough, Eitenne,” I interjected. “I am sure you have an airship to catch, and I am eager to keep my appointment with Lady Mandragora, who has, I understand, recently received a collection of the finest, most delicate spun silk from China, which I expect will be most exquisite and just so to my exacting tastes. Please, let us get on with it.” I flicked my fingers at the young server. “Our tea, if you would please, sir?”

  He bobbed his head and turned smartly on his heel. Eitenne's gaze followed him for the briefest moment before he turned back to me with renewed gravity. “I am, as you know, Mrs Darby, a performer for the Cirque du Flaire. A funambulist. My twin sister, Elodie and I have travelled with Dr Flaire for many years. It has been a charmed life: travelling, living among the clouds, performing and gathering admirers in the countries across Europe and beyond.”

  The young waiter returned with our pot of tea, but he did not remain at our table. His expression was slightly cold, but I did not regret my earlier dismissal; the prospect of yet obtaining one of Lady Mandragora's exquisite gowns bolstered my desire expedite this audience. “I had not realised the Cirque du Flaire had such a rich and extensive history.”

  “Indeed, but it has not always been so grand as now, and we have spent most of our years on the Continent in France and the Mediterranean. We are quite popular there. The King of France himself is a great fan. He often attempts to call us down to the palace for private performances, but Flaire is very stubborn. He only performs in the air. He says the necessary play of gravity simply isn't the same on terra firma.”

  “I expect not. But what has compelled you to seek me at such an inopportune moment and in such a state as you are? Has something changed?”

  His plump, crimson mouth turned down at the corners. “Oui. It is my sister.”

  “Indeed?”

  “While she was once my closest friend, once sweet and devil-may-care, she has become cold and serious. She is not interested in having a laugh or enjoying her time away exploring the new cities and countries with me. She spends all her time with Flaire, and she has little time for me anymore.”

  “Ah. I see.” I concealed a small smile behind my delicate china teacup. “Your sister has become rather smitten with the dazzling Dr Flaire, I shouldn't wonder? He does look quite flash on his posters and in the more popular penny dreadfuls.”

  Eitenne looked positively shocked at the idea. “Why, no. I think not. I am certain Elodie is quite taken with one of the lion tamers with whom she has been involved for many months.”

  “Ah. Well, who wouldn't be? They are quite dashing, aren't they? Have you any other theories, then, regarding the recent attitude of your sister?”

  “Oui. Many, in fact, but few of them make any sort of sense.”

  I lifted a hand to invite him to continue. “Regale me with haste, if you please. I am most eager to hear your tale, but I expect your time on land is limited.”

  “But of course.” Eitenne inclined his head. He had not touched the tea before him, but now he wrapped his long, slender fingers around its lip and peered into the amber depths. When he looked back up at me, his large, brilliant eyes glittered. “I fear, Mrs Darby, that something gravely sinister is happening at the circus in the sky.”

  “Naturally. But have you any idea what that might be?”

  “Well, I have noticed an odd number of guests going missing from port to port.”

  “Missing, you say? Guests have gone missing from the ship?”

  He took a deep breath that swelled his muscular chest. “None of the rest of my fellow performers have mentioned a thing about it. No one seems even to have noticed. But I am more observant than some and I...enjoy the company of our guests more often than they, who prefer to associate only amongst people of their own ilk. I spend more time among the spectators.”

  “Ah. Yes,” I said delicately. “So I see.”

  “During our last expedition, I was spending time with one of the young gentlemen, an American with no family who regarded the Cirque as a great novelty. There are not so many airships in America, you know, and ours is especially exciting.”

  “Indeed, I am aware of the New World's sad lack of convenient conveyance. I have been there myself. Dreadful time.”

  “I have never been myself, but it sounds outrageously barbaric. My friend, however, was very handsome and refined. I was expecting to meet him secretly on the observation deck after the show, but he did not arrive. I waited for hours, but to no avail. I could not visit his room, as we are on strict orders not to fraternise with the guests, and I had already been scolded for it. As such, I was forced to wait until the ship had arrived at port to say my farewells. When I attempted to speak with him, I was informed by our porter that the young man had already gotten off.”

  “You had reason to suspect this was an untruth?”

  “I had not thought so at first. I had believed I had been rejected by my new friend and so, quite hurt, I visited his room.”

  “What were you hoping to accomplish by this?”

  Eitenne exhaled in mournful sigh. “I didn't know. Perhaps I thought to find something that would ease my suffering or some way to contact him again to ask him for what reason he had failed to arrive for our rendezvous. I did not find any such thing, but I discovered, under the bed, the note I had so lovingly penned to him. It was crumpled as though someone had accidentally kicked it under the bed without realising it was there. The bed was unmade, and it seemed as though he had beat a hasty retreat. Likely without ever noticing he had left my declaration behind.”

  I stared at him suspiciously for a moment, but he seemed quite serious. “Was anything out of place? Did it appear as though something minacious had occurred?”

  “No, not so much. The room was untidy, but that is quite common. There was no sign of my friend left behind aside from my note.”

  I considered him for a moment. “Is it possible, perhaps that your friend beat an early retreat to...how to put it delicately...avoid attention?”

  Eitenne thrust his chin into the air. “I do not believe he would have tossed aside my declaration with such disdain, Mrs Darby. It was sheer poetry. Anyone would be flattered to receive it.”

  “Mm. Perhaps not, under the circumstances.”

  “I am not sure what you mean.”

  I waved my hand dismissively. “You needn't concern yourself. Anyway, you believe something happened to him?”

  “Yes. I do.”

  “But you have no evidence of such.”

  His eyes glinted defiantly. “No. No evidence at all. He simply vanished.”

  “And you think his disappearance was, in some way, connected to your sister's sudden attitude adjustment?”

  “I believe it has something to do with Flaire.”

  I pondered my empty teacup. Finally, I inclined my head to my companion. “Right, then. I am willing to entertain the idea. Has anything else occurred that will assist us in uncovering the nature of the threat you may very well face?”

  Eitenne thought about it for a period of time that seemed to me to be somewhat excessive and suggestive of a lack of anything significant to add. I waited, nevertheless, for him to reply, “Flaire is often locked away in his private rooms. He will not allow anyone inside. Well, he used not to allow anyone inside. I have seen Elodie coming in and out of there.”

  “Is his room very near yours?”

  “No. It is separated from the performers' rooms.”

  “How, then, did you come to notice these things?”

  “Well, I was...I was following Elodie. I have been deeply concerned with her behavio
ur. I simply wanted to see what had so changed her.”

  “Ah. I see.”

  He reached across the table and clutched my hand in his. “I know how this all sounds, Mrs Darby! I am not completely oblivious to what you must be thinking right now. You don't believe me that something is wrong.”

  I withdrew my hand from his long, slender fingers. “Eitenne, I believe that you believe something is not quite right with the Cirque du Flaire, and I have often found it is efficacious to listen to one's instinct in these situations. In my profession, matters are rarely as they seem. That which appears obvious on the surface often possesses a most minatory underbelly. For what, precisely have you sought to engage my services? I assume you have come here for that purpose, not simply to regale me of your tales of conquest upon the firmament.”

  “But of course. I suspect very strongly that Flaire is up to something dastardly, but I am sadly without the appropriate faculties to solve the thing myself. Mrs Darby, I have come to implore you to attend our next performance. If anyone can solve the mystery of the circus in the sky, I have faith that it is you.”

  I took a sip of my tea and mulled this over. “I see. I am rather keen on visiting the Cirque du Flaire, but I understand reservations for the performances are booked much in advance.”

  Eitenne smiled. “Oui, that is quite so. But I was able to convince the hosts that an extremely well-favoured and important guest would be attending our performance and required special