A Chance Encounter
#94 of The Moonrise Chronicles
Just when you thought it was safe.
Arrangements were made for
travelling, utilizing Alexei's personal plane. Leonardo was flown back
separately on a flight arranged by the Vatican, where he would implore his holiness
to perform a private ceremony for all those involved. Maggie was pretty sure
the kind old man in the silly white cap would acquiesce to the request.
They had to go the New York to meet
his plane, and then from there they flew across the Atlantic to London.
Heathrow was supposed to only be a quick stopover, but one of the engines developed
trouble and so they ended up grounded indefinitely. No one was particularly
pleased.
"It's not like we can just go out
and explore. No one really has working passports at the moment." Edward was
correct in his assessment, though he was only stating the obvious.
Alexei looked deep in
thought."Perhaps no, but they would only be necessary to get past the official
authorities. Once we were out of the airport, I don't think anyone would
question our presence too much."
"Are you suggesting that we
transform and leave as wolves? I think that might be problematic."
He only smiled. "No, but I am
suggesting that we can ride out of here simply enough. We just need the right
vehicle for the job." He made a couple of calls and an hour later their way
out of the airport arrived.
It wasn't luxurious, but like his
plane, it was plenty roomy. The lorry scooped up its cargo and zipped back out
the service gate without question. The dark and bumpy ride ended in a back
alley just off of Piccadilly Circus in the West End. They were let out to find
their own way from there. The driver exchanged a few words with Alexei in
Russian, and was on his way as if nothing unusual had happened. With the way
such organizations worked, it probably was the simplest thing the man was going
to do all week.
No one asked because no one really
wanted to know.
"Well my friends, here we are in
London. Shall we take a double-decker and have a view of the city? I myself
have never been here, and I think this would be an excellent opportunity to
view the sights."
Maggie was all agog over the idea.
"Can we?"
Edward shrugged and smiled. "I
don't see why not. I think we'll need to figure out a place to stay that won't
question our presence too closely."
The Russian smiled. "Money can
blind a man if you have enough of it. I think that a room is awaiting us
wherever we chose to stay."
They waited for a bus, clambered
aboard and sat down while it traveled the crowded streets of the city. Traffic
here was just awful, and driving a personal vehicle had to be maddening. Maggie
absorbed as much detail as she could, from the old city blocks to the numerous
bicyclists wending their way down the narrow bike lanes. It was an old city,
filled with many modern things, and the contrasts weren't lost on her.
"Hey, do you know what I was just
thinking?" she asked Edward.
"No. Do I want to know?"
"Maybe. But I'll wait and see if
you figure it out. It's kind of funny."
He ruffled her hair before kissing her,
abruptly realizing that they were in public in a strange place and thus cutting
it short. He didn't need people looking at him like he was a pervert. He
already felt like one most of the time and the recent knowledge that she was
older than she looked was hardly enough to assuage that feeling. Looks counted
for a lot.
"Whatever it is, I'll probably
think of it soon enough."
They made their way to central
London, exiting the bus and falling into step with the people on the sidewalks.
It was obvious that many of them were tourists, and another little knot of them
would go unnoticed.
"Where should we go?" Maggie was so
excited she was nearly vibrating in place.
Edward looked to the others. "I
suppose we should at least see the required tourist traps, don't you? Things
like Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the Tower of London?"
There was a general agreement,
though the suggestion of food diverted their thoughts for the moment. "Where
should we go? None of us have ever been here to know what's good and what's
not. I've heard some bad reviews about British cooking."
Her great uncle laughed. "And I
have tasted some terrible American dishes. Everyone has their good and their
bad. But if you want the best that London has to offer, then I know just the
place. Harrods."
"Harrods?"
"Yes. I often imported foods and
other goods from this store. Their reputation is impeccable, and I personally
can attest to that."
"Harrods it is then."
They made their way there, and then
to The Georgian Restaurant where they were seated in impeccable surroundings. Alexei
pulled out his credit card, had the waiter run it to check its limit, and was
rewarded with a flurry of activity. Like he said, there was little that a lot
of money couldn't handle.
They soon ordered food, had
cocktails and drinks of various sorts presented to them, and overall found
themselves in a fantastic mood. It was almost like having a rehearsal dinner,
though that thought didn't strike anyone as such until much later. Something
else was to come up that precluded their happy thoughts.
As usual, it was Maggie and her
unerring sense that something was amiss who noticed it first. She couldn't
pinpoint it, and so she said nothing while she scanned the restaurant. There was no feeling of dread or
foreboding, only a general unease that there was someone or something close by
that posed a threat. She looked from diner to diner, noting no one who looked
particularly threatening.
Since she was in London, she
decided to do her best Sherlock Holmes, eliminating the impossible, and thus
leaving her with whatever was left. It wasn't as easy as it looked. There were
all types here, though mostly of the affluent class. She eliminated several
family groups, a pair of old ladies wearing way too much patchouli, a gaggle of
businessmen drinkingmartinis, and a trio of white collared reverends.
That left the small, aged, white
haired man who was quietly reading the newspaper and drinking his tea.
It didn't make any sense. He looked
like someone's grandfather. In fact, she could see him hooking up with her own
grandmother. He looked pleasant enough and was dressed in formal attire that
seemed to have aged as well as he did.
She decided to point him out to
Edward.
"Look at that guy over there. What
do you make of him?"
"Typical old British guy. His
costume is a little dated, but it seems to suit him."
"That was my thought. I wonder who
he is?"
"Why?"
"Because I have this feeling that
he's important somehow?"
"Important? You mean like a prime
minister or something like that?"
"No stupid. Important to us."
Edward rolled his eyes. "We aren't
even supposed to be here. How the hell would this guy be important to us if we
weren't even supposed to be here?"
"I don't know! I want to know who
he is!"
She flagged down one of the wait
staff. "Excuse me, but that gentleman over there looks very familiar. Can you
tell me who he is?"
The young lady looked over and
smiled. "That's Mr. Louis Balfour. They say he's been a regular at Harrods for
generations. From the look of him, I'd believe it."
Edward kidded his bride-to-be.
"Someone you know from a past life maybe?"
"Shut up! I have a strange feeling
about this guy and it's making me a little crazy. But I can't put my finger on
it."
Verona piped in, because Maggie's
voice was carrying farther than it should have. "I'd take her seriously Edward.
Fish was reportedly dead a long time ago, and we know the resilience of our
kind. He doesn't look particularly vicious, but then who of us does at the
moment?"
"Maybe, but I say we leave him
alone. I didn't come here to cause trouble. If we keep our noses clean, then
maybe, just maybe we can sightsee and then leave like we hope to, without
attracting any unwanted attention."
Someone cleared their throat. All
eyes swung to the old gentleman, who was now standing by their table. He had on a pleasant smile and was holding
his hat in his hand.
"Good day to you. I'm terribly
sorry for crashing your little party here, but the nice waitress told me that
someone in this group was inquiring into who I was. That made me curious, for
very few outside of a handful of close friends ever ask about my wellbeing."
Maggie smiled. "It was me. I
thought you seemed familiar somehow."
His eyes came to rest on her. "By
the sound of your voice, I would have to say that you're American. Now... I
haven't been in America in years; far before your time young lady. So how is it
that you could find me to be familiar?"
His gaze was piercing behind his
wire-rim glasses.
"I don't know. And I'm afraid that
your name doesn't mean much to me either."
"No? I guess I'm not surprised.
Even here in London-town it doesn't evoke much remembrance anymore. That
satisfies my desire for solitude, so I have no complaints along those lines."
"You live alone?"
"I do. I go about town every day,
so I am a fixture if you know where to look. But what of you? You seem an odd
assortment of characters, if I might be so bold as to mention it."
Edward raised an eyebrow. "Odd?"
"There is no offense meant sir, but
you must admit that a collection of bits
and pieces such as yourself and your companions is not a sight that often
graces the grand halls of Harrods."
"Now see here..." It was Anna who was
rising in anger. Alexei shut her up.
"Sit down. We are as he sees us,
there is no denying that. Where else would you find such chudaki as us?"
Anna's face went red. "Be careful
what insults you throw around brother."
The argument was quickly escalating
when the dapper little man raised his hand. "I did not mean disrespect so
please do not fight because of my words. I learned long ago to tame those
wayward collections of letters and apply them to the page. My utterance of them
was never intended to spark dissent."
One thing Edward noticed was that
this guy was very proper in all his ways. It was like he had spent years
refining his mannerism and appearance. He was old, but he was beginning to
suspect he was older than he looked. He cudgeled his brain, looking for a
connection with the name, but nothing was in the forefront of his mind. A quick
look into the future didn't show much either. He didn't look too far, for he
knew the danger in seeing things without context.
"We are often at odds Mr. Belfour,
but that doesn't mean we are not all joined in a common cause. Despite our
appearance to you, we are a very close knit group."
"A conglomerate then, just like the
rock. A collection of odd size particles, nonetheless joined together with an
agent that binds it together."
Maggie grinned. "That's us!"
The old man stood there for a
moment. He then stood a little taller. "Might I be welcome to sit at your
table? I have already eaten, but I must admit there is something about you that
piques my curiosity."
Edward was debating on his request,
but Maggie spoke before anyone else had a chance. "Sure!"
He pulled a chair over and sat
backwards on it, resting his arms on the back and resting his chin on them. The
food was just arriving, and with it several bottles of wine. Maggie offered him
a glass.
"Thank you, I think I will partake.
Men might strive to ferment words into rhyme, but wine is bottled poetry. I can think of
nothing that pleases the tongue more than a liberal dose of mellifluous words."
He watched in silence as they ate,
at some points making them feel almost uncomfortable. And yet his quiet smile and
pleasant manner were nothing short of Victorian perfection. He refused to ask
questions during their meal, and instead had the remainder of his tea and
sandwiches brought over and partook of them. When everyone was full, he welcomed
any questions they might have.
"So you're a Londoner then?" asked
Alexei.
"No, not hardly. I was born in the
north. I'm a Scotsman by birth."
Maggie raised her eyebrows."You're Scottish? You don't sound
very brogue."
"No young lady, I do not. A
cultured man learns to hone his ways, and by ways I include my pattern of
speech, to that which the rest of the world recognizes as being civilized."
She giggled. "Are you saying your
countrymen aren't civilized?"
He took her mirth good-naturedly.
"Not at all. But when in London, it is best to fit in. That's why you all stand
out so much."
Edward looked at his group. They
didn't look all that weird. "How so?"
"Your
faces for one. It is obvious that some of you are Russian and others American.
At the best of times this is an strange combination. Your clothing choices too
betray hints about you. Your method of speaking is very distinct, and you carry
an air about you with I find intriguing."
"You
sound like a detective!"
"Yes, I
suppose I do. Arthur Conon Doyle was quite the sleuth in his own right, and
taught us through his literary creations how to apply a little common sense to
the world. I only know what I see. So tell me, what do you see in me?"
There
was silence until Maggie spoke up. "I see an old man who clings to old ways and
lives as an outsider in his own world."
"Go
on."
"After
that, there isn't much to tell."
"I live
alone because I prefer it. There is a fellowship more quiet even than solitude,
and which, rightly understood, is solitude made perfect."
"What
does that mean? I'd swear I've heard that before." Edward was struggling to
recall when and where.
"A
famous man once said it. I, like him, have found the meaning of it and live my
life by it."
"But
being alone must be hard on you. Don't you have family?"
He smiled sadly and patted Maggie's hand. "No little one, I do not. I have my routines
and they suit me fine. I long ago left behind the disruptions of public life. I
even traveled for a while to be rid of the fame and notoriety that can follow a
person. I am quite content to live as I do."
"Without
friends?"
"Without
attachments. I know many people, and many people think they know me. So it is
an uneven equilibrium, but it suits my methods far more snugly than anything
else that could ever be contrived."
"That
sounds awful!"
"To
you, who is yet young and full of energy and vigor, I suppose it does. But in
my youth I spent a great deal of my energies and abilities in fruitless
endeavors, which left their mark upon me and upon this city. I prefer to stay
out of the limelight now, for being in it holds no fascination for me."
"So you
don't have any friends?"
"I did
not say that. Friends are a very valuable resource. We are all travelers in the
wilderness of this world, and the best we can find in our travels is an honest
friend. Those friends I have know me as well as they can, but you must understand how
difficult it is to find an honest person anywhere on this planet."
Edward
was going to say something, but this guy's words kept going through his head.
He really had a way with them. Maggie was under no such onus "I
agree. Considering everything that I have seen, I think we could probably
exchange stories for hours."
"You?
Well, I suppose the events in our youth tend to eclipse those in our later
years, for we lose the sense of sharpness the unaltered fascination with
life grants us in those early years.."
Edward
snapped his fingers. Everyone looked. The old man looked at him through half lipped
eyes. "Yes?"
"I
think I figured out why you sound so familiar! You've been quoting people this
whole time haven't you?"
The man
smiled. "Yes, I do have that habit. Call it an occupational hazard."
"You
read a lot?"
"Oh
yes, don't you? I find that in my aged years, that is the only way to safely
have adventures. I am far too old to be cavorting about the London roofs tops,
or even the sandy beaches of the tropics."
Maggie giggled.
"I can't see you running across rooftops. What were you, one of those chimney
sweeps?"
"No my
dear, I was not. Let's just say that when I was younger, I had urges that
needed to be fulfilled, and running wild along the clay tiles at dusk was one of the
better ways of dealing with them."
"Yeah,
I like going out at night too, when I can. Some of the most interesting things happen
in the dark."
"I seem
to read some innuendo into your statement. You are too young for such
expressions."
"Not as
young as you..." Edward kicked her.
He spoke
instead. "She's a little older than she looks Mr. Belfour. I'm sorry if our
American ways distress you."
"Oh no,
it's fine. I have found this conversation to be refreshing. Often I am stuck
with dull conversationalists, but you seem rather interesting, even if a few of
you act rather tongue-tied. We can't have everyone talking at once now, can we?"
"No, I suppose
not."
"And so
I shall leave you good people to carry on with your sightseeing. I assume you
intend to hit all the highlights?"
"Yes, depending
on how much time we have available to us."
The
little man pulled an old silver case from his pocket and extracted a business card.
"I go by several names about town. It's nothing more than an old habit really,
but I still find it useful. If you wish to get together again, I would very much
look forward to it. If you do not wish to call the number, I will be here
tomorrow at one in the afternoon, so if you desire to meet me for lunch, I would
be happy to pick up the tab."
"If we're
still here tomorrow, we'll look you up."
"Good,
good. Until tomorrow then, I bid you good day." He turned and tottered off.
Maggie was
holding the slightly yellowed card. "He doesn't get out much. This thing is
dingy around the edges and it smells like tobacco smoke. Oh, and look, he uses
the same first name as you do!"
Edward
took the card and read it. There was an address, and a telephone number hand
written on it. The name was printed in flourishing scrip letters.
Mr.
Edward Hyde.
"Why
does that sound familiar?"
"I have
no idea. I don't know anyone in London and neither do you."
"True,
but you said something about him was different. I agree."
"Yeah,
but I don't know what it is. He's old; really, really old. Do you think he's
one of us."
"A
werewolf? I suppose it's possible, but if so, why didn't he say something?"
Maggie
choked down a nasty response. "Would you? Not everyone has our best interests
at heart you know."
"True
enough. The last thing we need is to get tangled with someone who seems nice
but turns out to be nothing but trouble."
"And
you think this guys is trouble?"
"I don't
know, but I sure as hell don't want to run into any Jekyll and..."
"What?"
Edward
was staring intently at the card. "I was saying that I wouldn't want to run
into any Jekyll and Hyde types."