Follow Spot

Excerpt

Follow Spot
Brenda Murphy © 2023
All Rights Reserved

Chapter One

“Do you think this is too much?” Tessa tugged her MacLeod tartan bow tie into a tight knot and met Benita’s gaze in the mirror.

“For what? You’re picking her up from the ferry, not taking her to a ball.” Benita smoothed her hands over Tessa’s shoulders and pressed a quick kiss under her ear. “Besides, you look adorable. Good enough to eat.” Benita waggled her eyebrows.

Tessa turned to face her. She leaned her head against Benita’s brow and absorbed her confident tone and love like a sponge. “Thank you.”

Benita stepped back. “Now go. Or Millie will leave your ass standing in the driveway.”

“Oh hell.” Tessa snatched her suit coat off the bed on her way out of the door. She stormed the steps, the clatter of her shoes echoing in the stairwell. She pushed through the kitchen door and skidded to a stop. Robin and Myfanwy turned to look at her. “Millie’s gone?”

“Calm down, love, she’s in the washroom.” Myfanwy crossed the room. She inclined her head toward two picnic baskets and two thermos bottles on the table. “The black thermos and small basket is for Mistress Lepler, the other is for you two. Since you missed breakfast.” Myfanwy raised an eyebrow.

“Sorry.” Tessa’s mouth watered as the scent of warm chocolate laced with the faint tang of orange rose from the baskets. “And thank you.”

Myfanwy frowned. “You all right?”

“Fine. I’m fine. Just nervous.”

Myfanwy lifted her chin. “She’s a Mistress—act accordingly and you’ll be right.”

“Aye, and she’ll be an angry Mistress if we’re late picking her up.” Millie’s voice boomed in the kitchen. She picked up the picnic baskets. “Get the flasks, Tessa.” Millie kissed Myfanwy on the cheek. “I’ll text if we’ll be late.”

“Don’t be. Elaine is on a tear. She wants everything perfect for Mistress Petra’s friend.”

Millie strode out of the kitchen. “When is she not? You heard her, Tessa, ass in gear unless you want to explain to Elaine why we were late.”

Tessa picked up the two thermos bottles and bolted out of the door after Millie.

The gravel crunched under their feet on the way to the garage. Tessa hurried to catch up to Millie’s long strides.

In the garage, Tessa waited while Millie placed the smaller picnic basket on the backseat.

“Put the flask next to it and wedge it so it won’t roll around.” Millie shrugged out of her suit coat.

Tessa placed the black flask next to the smaller basket before opening her door. She passed Millie the other basket and flask of tea.

“Take your jacket off or you’ll look the devil when we get there.”

Tessa shed her suit coat before she entered the car and laid it over the seat next to Millie’s. The leather seat was cool through her shirt, and she shivered. She clenched her fists to stop her hands from trembling.

“The seats will warm up quick once we’re rolling.” Millie turned the key, and the low rumble of the engine filled the car. “Take a breath. We’re not late.” Millie backed the car out of the garage and made the turn out onto the drive. “Did you sleep?”

“Some.”

“You going to tell me why you’re so skittish?” Millie piloted the car down the lane leading away from Rowan House.

Tessa chewed her lip. A storm of emotions squeezed her heart as a swirling montage of images blinded her to the scenery rushing past the car. She picked at the seam of her trousers. The dull ache of a headache eddied behind her eyes. This was a mistake.

“Tessa?” Millie’s gentle prompt broke into Tessa’s spiraling thoughts.

“I haven’t been honest with the Mistresses. I worked with—I mean for Mistress Lepler. I’m an idiot for not telling them.”

“I won’t have you talking badly about yourself, but Tessa, why the devil didn’t you say something before?”

Tessa shifted her gaze to Millie’s profile. “I didn’t want the Mistresses to deny my request to work with her.”

Millie shot Tessa a quick glance before she returned her eyes to the road. “Were you pledged to her?”

“No.” Tessa rolled the crease of her trousers between her fingers. “Nothing like that.” She turned toward the window. “I worked for her for three years, before she let me go and ghosted.”

Millie reached over and squeezed Tessa’s knee. “Mistresses can be a capricious lot.”

“I should’ve told the Mistresses. Elaine knew about Mistress Griffin when she asked me to apply to Rowan House, but I left previous work off my resume.” Tessa rubbed the ache in her stomach. “And then I saw the photo on her application. And I should have told them everything, but I didn’t.” She rocked in her seat. “What if she’s angry?”

“Not that Elaine needs a reason, but I can’t see her being angry over this. Well, not more than usual. She’s settled a bit since she and Robin convinced Petra to pledge to them.”

“I meant Mistress Astrid.”

“What does that matter? You’re not her property. You’re pledged to Rowan House. And I’ll be happy to remind her of it if she forgets.” Millie glanced at Tessa before turning back to the road. “She may be auditioning but she doesn’t have full privileges.”

Millie’s firm tone soothed Tessa’s nerves. She wasn’t alone. Her Rowan House family would always be there. She was loved. For who she was, quirks and all. She laid her hand on Millie’s forearm and squeezed gently. “Thank you. She wasn’t that kind of Mistress. She was more like Mistress Lucia, quiet, but you obeyed.”

“But she abandoned you without explanation? What kind of Mistress does that?” The car shifted sideways as Millie dodged a pothole.

“We didn’t have a contract.” Tessa shifted in the seat. “But we were—we had a—well, I don’t know what you’d call it. At least I thought we had something. But not enough of something for her to keep me, I guess.” Tessa hated the uncertainty in her voice. She rolled her shoulders, stiffened her spine. She wasn’t a wide-eyed, giddy twenty-year old anymore. “And whatever it was, I need to talk to her outside of Rowan House. I don’t want her to feel like she was tricked into something or that I’m going to sabotage her audition.”

“Well, anyone who’d walk out on you is a complete idiot. Get yourself some tea and something to eat. Everything will look better on the other side of a chocolate orange muffin and Two Steps From Hell.” Millie grinned and pressed a button on the steering wheel.

The rich orchestral sounds of “Tokyo Showdown Mania” boomed from the speakers as Tessa unwrapped her still warm muffin. “I swear I’d have pledged to Rowan House just for these muffins.” Millie’s booming laugh filled the car as Tessa settled back into her seat.

*

Astrid Lepler stood by the rail, waiting her turn to disembark. Families with small children in hand trailed by reluctant teens crowded the exit. Gulls wheeled and called overhead. She wrinkled her nose at the sharp smell of diesel fumes and the harbor. After navigating the gangplank in her pumps, she strode the length of the dock, leaving the crowd of day trippers and tourists who had been crammed on the ferry behind.

The wheels of her rolling bag clattered over the macadam as she moved away from the busy terminal. She scanned the parking area as she walked, searching for the car that would take her to Rowan House.

“Nice coat, love. You have a light?” A burly man in dark sunglasses, dressed in dark-blue pants and a worn windbreaker, stepped in front of her. He set his feet wide, blocking her path on the narrow sidewalk. An unlit cigarette dangled from his mouth. He held out his cell phone in the other. The small hairs on the back of Astrid’s neck rose. She glanced around. The crowd had dispersed, leaving the parking lot mostly empty. They were alone on the sidewalk at the back side of the building. Astrid swept her gaze over the area again. They were far away from any structure that could hide an accomplice or serve as cover if he had other intentions.

“No.” Astrid held firmly to her luggage handle and slid her hand into the outside pocket of her purse. She wrapped her hand around her stainless steel pen. The knurled barrel was cool under the fingertips. Unable to see his eyes behind his dark sunglasses, she glanced down at his body searching for clues to his intent. His stance was relaxed, his feet positioned for a quick exit. Astrid removed the pen, taking care to conceal it against her coat as she took a step toward the man. “It’s a filthy habit. Now, excuse me.”

“What’s your hurry?” The man made no move to leave. He shoved his phone into his pocket and set his feet.

“Get out of my way.” Astrid glared at him, released the handle of her suitcase, and balled her fist. They stared at each other a long moment.

“Ms. Lepler? Astrid Lepler?” a deep voice called from the parking lot.

Astrid kept her attention on the man in front of her.

A slimy smile split the man’s face. “Lucky bitch,” he mumbled under his breath as he turned and hurried away from her. Astrid tucked her pen back in her purse and grasped the handle of her suitcase. She turned to face the direction of the voice.

“Ms. Lepler?”

A broad-shouldered ruddy-faced woman in chauffeur’s livery approached her. A slightly shorter handsome woman with light-brown skin dressed in a dark-blue suit with a tartan bow tie flanked the large woman. Astrid’s gaze landed on a scar that blazed from the shorter woman’s hairline, narrowly missing her eye before it continued across her cheek. Stunning in its length, it added an intriguing hardness to the woman’s countenance.

Astrid removed her sunglasses. “Yes?”

“I’m Millie. We exchanged emails.”

“From our exchange I expected you would be here promptly.”

“I apologize we were not waiting on the dock.” Millie pursed her mouth and gestured to Astrid’s suitcase. “Is that all you have, Ma’am?” The woman next to her fidgeted, rocking back and forth on her toes. Astrid looked away from her distracting behavior.

“Yes. I have more coming on—”

“I’ll take it.” The younger woman darted forward before Astrid finished speaking.

Her shoe caught a bit of loose gravel. Astrid winced as the woman’s knees hit the pavement and she fell against her luggage. The large bag fell over with the woman half on top of it. She flailed a moment and landed on her side on the macadam. Astrid clutched her purse strap and stepped back.

“Tessa!” Millie clasped Tessa’s arm and helped her to standing. Her bow tie was skewed. Millie held her by her shoulders and peered into her face. “You okay?” The tender concern in her voice was a sharp contrast to her burly form.

“Let go. I’m fine, Millie.” Tessa twisted out of Millie’s grasp and faced Astrid. Twin rips in her trousers exposed her torn skin and bleeding knees. Tessa snatched the handle of the luggage and righted the bag. A large scuff marred the suitcase. “Forgive me, Mistre— Ms. Lepler.”

“You’re injured.” Astrid searched her handbag and found a pack of tissues. She held them out to Tessa.

“Sorry about your bag.” Tessa’s fingers grazed Astrid’s as she took the offered tissues. Averting her gaze, she stuffed the packet into her jacket pocket.

Astrid paused, cocked her head, and studied Tessa’s face. Her faint Bakersfield accent teased a memory from her mind. “Easily replaced. I’m sorry your enthusiasm ended so painfully.” A sharp stroke of recognition squeezed her chest as she paired the soft twang with memories of long nights half a world away. Astrid peered into the woman’s eyes, searching for signs she recognized her.

“Not the first time.” Tessa’s gaze flickered to Astrid’s eyes briefly before she rested her chin on her chest. “I’ll get this to the car.” She walked away from them toward a large black town car.

Astrid frowned at the dejected set of her shoulders and near miss of using Astrid’s honorific. She knew her, had known her intimately. Her face burned. Why hadn’t Tessa acknowledged it? Embarrassed? And yet she was an employee of Rowan House. Astrid pursed her lips, her gaze following Tessa as she loaded her suitcase into the car.

“Ms. Lepler?” Millie’s whisper cut into Astrid’s thoughts. “Do you need the facilities before we leave? There’re not many places to stop on our way.”

“Yes. I’ll only be a moment.” Astrid turned toward Millie.

Millie touched her cap. “We’ll be ready when you are, no need to hurry.”

“Thank you. Would you take my coat?”

“My pleasure.” Millie assisted her out of her heavy faux fur, draped the coat over her arm, then left Astrid alone on the sidewalk with her thoughts.