"Mr. Stitch," Lowell smiled, striding forward with his hand outstretched.
"Lord Manchester. You came with the mirror today?"
"No, sir, it was tomorrow that I promised you the mirror." Lowell corrected him. "I am having the mirror appraised to be sure that you are getting the best deal from me you can."
"So you just decided to stop in, Lord Manchester?" Stitch asked with suspicion. Lowell blushed.
"I happened to be in the area and I wanted to stop in. You are one of my most invested clients."
"You have many things that make my brothel look nice." He smiled past Lowell. "Ah, Callum you have come back with Lord Manchester. It is so nice to see you. You've brought a friend as well." He indicated to Tarrant. Alice realized that because Callum stood in front of her the man had not seen her yet. She crouched behind the man's silhouette. The lady didn't say anything to her husband about her being there and she wanted to remain invisible until she could get to Tarrant. Much to Alice's dismay the creepy business man strode forward, extending his hand to her husband. Tarrant refused to take it.
"Ah, not one for shaking hands?" He asked of the milliner. Alice knew that he was staring the pimp down with anger.
"I prefer not to shake with murderers." He growled.
"I have never murdered anyone, old chap." He said with a chuckle. "You must have me mistaken for another."
"What of all those girls that are upstairs doing what they are doing."
"They merely are trying to survive. Besides, if you don't like it don't come around. I am assuming you are not looking for business today." He said, coming closer to Tarrant. "I am curious to your name however. And may I inquire where you got that magnificent hat."
"Tarrant Hightopp. The hat is a family heirloom of sorts." He responded flatly. Stitch laughed.
"Tarrant is a milliner by trade," Lowell spoke up, shooting Tarrant a look.
"You make hats? I have been meaning to get several new top hats and if you can truly make hats like the one upon your fine mess of hair then I will be certainly willing to pay you a pretty penny. Or, some services if you change your mind." Stitch's eyes smiled with cruelty.
"Ah woul' ne'er take advantage o' a woman like tha'." He scowled.
"Not from around here, are we?" Stitch frowned. "I hope he isn't with you, Lowell. I don't serve bloody Gaelics."
"He's….a relative." Lowell looked to Callum who nervously pulled at his cravat. Stitch looked to Tarrant.
"I may have to rethink our business arrangement with the hats if you aren't British. I support the Queen of England and all that." He said with a smile. Tarrant looked at him with anger in his eyes.
"We ne'er ha' an arrangement."
"Out loud but I know…hold up. What have we here?" He looked past Tarrant and his blue eyes caught sight of Alice.
"Oh, this 'ere is Alice, love." Isabelle smiled. "She is with these gents."
"A beautiful lady." He strode up to her with a crooked smile. Alice's heart began to race in panic. He held his hand out. Alice didn't extend hers. He frowned and forcefully took it, laying his lips on the back of her hand. Up close Alice saw that he was extremely handsome. Had she met him on the street as a single lady she might have pulled her fan out and signaled for him to try and meet her. She knew who he was and what he was doing, however, so it seemed a bane to his good looks.
"A lady is what I am." Alice growled. Tarrant stepped forward.
"Ah thin' yer a bi' close." He said. Stitch turned to him with a smile.
"Oh, I am not trying to bother you chap." He bowed to Tarrant slightly. "I mean no harm in my compliments." He looked to Isabelle and nodded. She left the room leaving Alice alone with the four gentlemen.
"I think I may need to pay you a little more than I have, Lord Manchester." Stitch replied not taking his gaze off of Alice. Tarrant came closer, laying hold of her arm.
"Back' away fram teh lady." He came behind Alice. Stitch smiled cruelly.
"I just want to have a talk with her. That's all, my friend." He leaned closer to Alice who tried to back away. Tarrant stepped to the side of her.
"Bac' away," His eyes turned a deep gold color. Stitch continued to smile at Tarrant. He took a step closer and Tarrant let off in a rage. He grabbed the man, running him into the wall. Stitch called for Isabelle while Tarrant heaved in anger, holding the man against the wall.
"Tarrant, let's not start any trouble. We don't need the bobbies to come around." Callum said, going over to try to coax the mad milliner to put the pimp down. Alice was shaking in terror in her chair. Isabelle reemerged into the room, giving a shriek. However, she was joined with two largely muscled and extremely tall men. They leaped the counter and quickly grabbed both of Tarrant's arms.
Stitch dropped the ground but was able to keep his balance, standing to brush his suit off.
"I keep my friends Ivan and Sergey around in case hot headed protectors such as you are a bit too much with the doves." He went back over to Alice. She was shaking and Callum was coming closer.
"Really, she isn't for sale. She isn't even a prostitute." Callum came toward her.
"I have more friends such as Serg and Ivan. Do I need to fetch them?" He smiled, coming even closer to Alice. "She may not be a prostitute yet but she is too beautiful a woman to pass up."I'll pay you double for her and the painting."
"She isn't for sale," Lowell shook his head.
"Hmmm, that is too bad. I suppose that I'll just have to pay you your pounds and merely take her." He came closer, placing his hands on her face. Alice shuddered in fear as his face came very near to hers.
"GE' AWEY FRAM 'ER!" Tarrant strained against the two larger men holding him back. Callum took a step forward and Stitch snapped his fingers. Two more burly men came from the back. One laying hold of Callum and the other put his hands on Lowell. Alice felt trapped and her bottom lip began to quiver as she fought back tears. "GE' YER 'ANDS OFF 'ER!" Tarrant bellowed, twisting this way and that.
"Hush, Hightopp. You're scaring the little doe." He brushed his knuckles across her cheek to wipe away a strayed tear. Alice jerked away, falling off the bar stool. He caught her and forcefully wrapped his hand around her arm. "We are just going to be friends, you and I."
"I don't want to be your friend," Alice answered. He smiled.
"Well that's a pity." With his free hand he worked off her wet shrug. "Let me just see the merchandise."
"I'm not for sale." She replied coldly. Tarrant was screaming in Outlandish as he was being held by the two large, hairy guards. They had him pinned against the wall. Rage was in his gold eyes, his hat had been knocked off and his red hair was sticking about everywhere.
"My dear, no lady comes to a brothel looking for the scenery."
"I came looking for the painting."
"A shame it's not here." His hands began to feel her throat, the supple skin around her jaw bone. "You are so very soft, Alice my dear."
"Get off of me." She hissed. Isabelle grabbed her arms.
"I need to eat, missy. If my husband tells ya he needs to see the merchandise he needs to see it." Alice strained against her wrists, her energy waning.
"You have a very lovely neck," His pointer finger made its way between her two throat muscles, ending at the center of her chest. He then gently pulled her right sleeve down, admiring her smooth pale shoulders. As he pulled the fabric a little more the top of her ugly Bandersnatch scar appeared. "But what is this?" He questioned. He ripped her sleeve completely off. The scar marked most of her upper arm, three distinct rouge lines. "What did you meet, my fairest maid."
"Let me go," Alice tried to struggle out of his grip.
"I am quite serious, Stitch. She is my sister in law; she is not going to be sold to anyone." Callum said.
"You probably should have thought of that before you brought in here." He looked to Isabelle. "This will bring her price down." He continued to make his way into her clothing, coming upon the chain of rings she wore about her neck.
"These are absolutely beautiful," Isabelle breathed. "Look at that diamond."
"These are marriage rings." Stitch hissed. "You're married to one of them aren't you?" Alice's heart raced faster. "We'll have to set her up as a virgin." He ripped the chain from her neck with force. Alice screamed out and Tarrant gave a roar, breaking free from the two brutes that held him. Callum and Lowell to began to struggle. Tarrant ripped across the room to Stitch, grasping his throat in his worn hands.
"I…should…have known…it was….you." Stitch gasped for air as Tarrant choked him.
"ENOUGH!" Lowell cried, shaking free of the guard. The two other guards had their hands on Tarrant again, dragging him off of Stitch. "We are going to leave here. We shall return with the bloody painting and we shall get your money. Now hand over Alice."
"No," Stitch said with a smile. "I want to make sure you will come back so I will just hold her here until you return tomorrow."
"You can't do that." Lowell answered.
"But I can." He laughed. He laid a kiss on Alice's cheek. She squirmed under Isabelle's grasp. "If you don't return with it I can make a pretty penny off of her." Tarrant glared at the man in anger. Alice was shaking in a fear she had never before felt in her life.
"I will return tonight, then. I don't care about getting my fair price on the painting. You can have it for free for all that I care." He growled.
"I like that deal even better. And you can have your naïve sister in law back when you return." Stitch smiled. "I don't ever want to see that bloody Scotsman in here again, however." He motioned to Tarrant.
"You're the one that started fucking with his wife." Callum glowered.
"Well who was the imbecile for bringing her around a brothel, my good sir?" He turned Callum. "Be on your way! I expect that my painting will come around this evening."
"It will." Lowell looked to the man with anger. "If you lay one hand on Alice I swear to you all my propriety will be out the window for violating an innocent aristocrat like that."
"I think the judge would much rather hear my side. After all, I do have his favorite hussy in this business." He held onto Alice. Tarrant looked at his wife with longing; if his hands were free surely he would have reached out for her. Tears came to Alice's eyes as she shook in Isabelle's arms. The two large guards dragged her husband out of the room; she saw his hands were clenched. He was holding something.
"Now, dearest Alice." Stitch crooned, placing his index finger on her cheek once again. "You will be a good girl and stay in my office."
"Just let me go." She was doing her best to hold back a sob.
"Don't be frightened, little one. Once you realize how lucrative this business is-"
"I'd rather be poor than sell my body." She spat in his eye. He groaned wiping his face. Looking up to his wife he growled.
"Bring her to the office. We shall have a little chat with Miss Alice here." Alice struggled as Stitch laid hold of her wrist. Her body was trembling and she was trying with all her might not to start weeping.
