After seeing Cat off safely, Pedro and I headed home. "Pedro. Do you think we could do this again?" I asked just before he left, "I have had a lot of fun."
He looked at me, then said hesitantly, "I'll have to ask Syd, but I will come by tomorrow to let you know, If that would be alright for you, Sir."
"You can still call me Frank. But yes I think that will be fine."
"Good bye." He bowed and ran off.
I quickly changed my clothes and slipped back into the house and into my room. I heard our carriage pull up as I threw myself into bed. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and Lizzie slipped in. "How are you?" she asked.
"Actually, I am doing better now." I said sitting up, "I think I might get up now. I am quite hungry."
She eyed me curiously and slowly nodded her head. "Lunch will be ready in a few minutes. Are you sure you are alright?"
I nodded and stood up to prove it. I managed to evade some of my father's questions and immediately after lunch slipped into the sitting room where I spent a few hours thinking about my day.
The next morning I struggled through my lessons, which were extra long since I had missed half of them on Friday, and nearly shouted for joy when Joseph came in saying that Mr. Hawkins from the theater was here. I told him to show him into the sitting room and hurried there myself.
"Pedro!" I said eagerly, "Does this mean I can go with you?"
"Yes," He replied, "If you want, I will show you around London then take you to Syd's place."
"Great! Wait for me out front." I walked him to the door and told Joseph, "I will be gone for a little while. Visiting friends."
"Would you like the carriage?" he asked although he looked like he already knew the answer.
"No thank you. I think I will walk." I said walking out side. I went around the house to the stable and changed into my chimney sweep outfit. I quickly found Pedro and we started off. He showed me the areas of London that I had never been to before and few places that I had seen. Although it was a much different experience.
"This morning, Syd told me that there is going to be a fight between The Butcher's Boys and Billy Shepard's gang tonight." Said Pedro as we approached Syd's butcher shop. "Maybe you could come."
"I hope so. But wouldn't I have to be part of the gang?" I asked.
He smiled at me but didn't say anything. When we entered his shop, Syd walked over to us. "'Ello, Prince. Your Lordship." He said.
"Call me Frank." I said quickly. "I hear that there is going to be a fight between your's and Billy's gangs. Would it be possible for me to come?" I watched him nervously. Wondering if he would be angry with me for inviting myself. He looked at Pedro and they grinned at each other.
"Welcome to the gang, Frank." He said shaking my hand. I stared at him incredulously then smiled.
"Thank you, Syd." I said. I spent the day with the gang gallivanting about London and was very sorry when it was time for me to go home.
Pedro was guiding me back home when he suddenly remembered something. "I forgot to tell you. Mr. Sheridan has invited you to the theater. I have to rehearse for the play every day this week but I am sure Cat would love to show you around."
I smiled. "Splendid! Lizzie will be delighted."
When I told Lizzie and father about our visit to the theater, Lizzie immediately began to send out invitations and father sent a letter to Mr. Sheridan confirming that we were indeed able to come. When he was done he turned to me.
"Frank, when you see Miss Royal tell her that I have read her manuscript and am interested in supporting her when she has finished it." He said.
"Yes, sir!" I said happily. Cat was going to be thrilled!
Charlie and I rode ahead of the carriage on our horses. I was telling him about my adventures of the past few days when we arrived in front of the theater. Cat was waiting for us at the door. I jumped off my horse and bounded over to her, shaking her hand.
"Here she is!" I exclaimed. "You should've seen her, Charlie! She flattened that bully and saved my skin. She made a splendid boy."
Charlie bowed and grinned at her. She blushed. "I hope, Miss Royal, you'll record your adventures for us. I am eager to hear all about it from your pen." He said politely.
I clapped my hand to my head. "That reminds me!" I cried. "Father was very impressed by your manuscript. He told me to tell you that he'll support your first venture into print when you finish it."
Pedro appeared next to Cat, wearing a sailor's costume. "In that case, she'd better get a move on." He said.
Lizzie and Marzi-pain Marchmont were now approaching us and I muttered to Charlie. "Poor Lizzie, she keeps on trying to be polite to Marzi-pain for Father's sake, failing to comprehend that he's beyond saving."
"Marzi-pain?" whispered Cat.
"Marzipan—Marzi-pain Marchmont—because of the hair." I explained but she still looked puzzled. "You know, marzipan, that yellowy-white almond stuff you get on cakes?"
"Oh, of course," she said. But I could tell that she still had no idea what I was talking about.
"I'm sorry. That was stupid of me. Next time you come to tea, I shall ensure that you sample every sort of marzipan under the sun, Miss Royal. Our French cook is a master." I was thinking whether or not she would even be coming to tea again when Marchmont's voice reached us and I grimaced.
"It is not a patch on Covent Garden," he said loudly,"Father has a private box there, you know."
"But, Mr. Marchmont, I'm sure you'll agree that it is not the gaudy wrappings, but the content that counts. The acting here has no rival, with Mr. Kemble, Mrs. Siddons, and Mrs. Jordon to call on." Said Elizabeth. Marchmont sniffed but didn't say anything.
Pedro bowed and Cat curtsied as everyone arrived. "I was just telling Miss Royal about Papa's admiration for her manuscript." I said loudly. Directing it at Marchmont.
He smiled. "Your father has peculiar taste, Lord Francis. I grant that she write a fair enough hand for a girl of her class, but as for the contents…" He left like that and I almost inserted my own opinion but then he continued talking. "The drawings, however: thinking about them afterward, I was most intrigued. You surely did not do them yourself, Miss Royal? The style was very distinctive. I could almost swear it was…familiar." He gave Cat a hard stare and she looked just a little worried.
"No, she didn't. That was Johnny Smith, the prompter." Said Pedro,"Cat'll introduce you to him if you're interested. He does really wicked likenesses, really clever."
Cat looked angrily at Pedro.
"Wicked likenesses?" Marchmont said cooly, "I've no doubt of that."
"But he doesn't draw much." Ca said quickly, looking at Pedro. "In fact, it was probably the first time he's put pencil to paper when he drew for me." Pedro looked at her surprised but she ignored him. "And unfortunately, he's been called away suddenly to… to see a sick uncle. He's not here. Not in the building."
"Well….anyways, I have got to go back in. See you later." Said Pedro after one last curious glance at Cat.
She led us into the theater and backstage. Pointing out a few things on the way. I saw the balloon that had been used in the play and looked at Charlie. He grinned at me and we both ran over to it. Cat quickly pulled us out before running over to where a few of Lizzie's friends were busy touching all of the props they could see. Marchmont was opening every door he could see. He looked like he was searching for something, but that seemed ridiculous. What could he be looking for in the theater? As he was about to open yet another door Cat cried out, "Oh, sir, you can't go in there."
"Why not, Miss Royal? Mr. Sheridan has given us the passport to roam. He said we were to go anywhere we liked."
"Did he?" Replied cat. "Well, I'm sure he did not intend the permission to include the ladies' powder room."
He flushed and quickly let go of the handle. "There's no sign."
Cat shrugged. "Of course not. Those who need it know what it is. If you require the privy, I could ask one of the stagehands to take you."
"No, no, that won't be necessary." He said, his cheeks turning red as he walked down the corridor. We followed after him and stopped at the scenery lot at the back of the stage.
"Miss Royal!" I called seeing that she was still standing by the door. "Miss Royal, tell us again how this balloon thing works." She looked at the door "Leave Lizzie; she'll find us all right." I continued.
She looked distracted as she explained the mechanics of it resulting in a very jumbled account of ropes and pullies. I got just enough out of it figure it out for myself. "What do you think, Charlie?" I wondered. "Shall we test it out on old Marzi-pain and leave him up there? It would be doing the world a favor."
Charlie laughed. "Good idea. You still haven't got your own back on him for snitching to your father about that coach you drove around the square."
I smiled. "Your right! How had I forgotten that?"
"You problem, Frank, is that you're too good-natured to bear a grudge." He said approvingly.
Jane added with a smile, "Or too absentminded to remember anything for long."
I laughed. It was probably true. Lizzie appeared next to Cat and said something quietly to her.
"Of course, Lady Elizabeth." Said Cat. She left us in the costume room with Miss Bower to watch over us. I felt like a small child needing a babysitter, although I admit it was probably a good idea to have one. She let us try on the costumes and I immediately picked up Pedro's turban and placed it on my head. I began to dance around trying to copy Pedro, of course failing miserably, making Miss Bower howl with laughter.
"Lawd love us," she said, "You'd sure be a treat on the stage you would, sir."
I stopped my spinning and gave a wobbly bow.
"Ma'am, may you be blessed a hundred times for your kind words. An actor's life for me, it is!"
"How many dukes do you know who combine their duties with clowning in front of the rabble?" asked Marchmont.
"Not enough!" I cried, making Jane and Miss Bower giggle.
I noticed Cat and Lizzie walk into the room and waved.
"I think I'd better take my brother away, Cat. Before he does himself an injury. Thank you for your kind attention this morning." Said Lizzie.
We all said goodbye, all except the Marchmonts that is, and left. But not before Cat removed an ostrich feather from the younger Miss Marchmont's reticule.
When we arrived home Lizzie pulled me into the library. "Frank, there is something I want to tell you."
"Well, what is it?" I asked.
"You know how Cat stopped Marchmont from going into the room, saying that it was the ladies' powder room?" she began. I nodded my head and smiled, the picture of his embarrassment fresh in my mind. "Well, it wasn't the ladies' powder room."
"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.
"Cat was trying to prevent us from meeting with someone who was in that room."
"And who was in there?"
She blushed a little as she replied. "Lord Johnathan Fitzroy. Mr. Sheridan is helping him until a reconciliation can be made with his father."
"Really?" I said, "This is getting rather exciting, with a lord disappearing only to turn up in a theater being guarded by Cat. I wonder what else will happen?"
"I hope nothing else 'exciting' happens." She said anxiously.