The Affair of the Porcelain Dog (33 page)

No sooner had she plucked up the photo than Lazarus was across the room, snatching it from her fingers and shoving it at me.

"That was Mr. St. Andrews," she accused, as I slid the picture up my shirt-sleeve.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," said Lazarus.

"It was! And that was Cambridge. I'm certain of it!"

While they bickered good-naturedly, I crossed to the fireplace and tossed the cursed thing into the fire. It was a shame to destroy such a lovely picture. They looked so happy together, so young, in love, and without a care in the world--or a stitch of clothing on their bodies, though that part had been artfully concealed by trees and shadow. How ironic that such an expression of beauty and joy would be considered so indecent that it would have spelled prison not only for its subjects, but for the photographer as well.

"Who was that other man?" Mrs. Lazarus demanded as the photo blistered and charred.

"It doesn't matter now," Tim said. He had turned from her, and was taking a most unusual interest in the letter on top of the Remington. I cleared my throat, and he looked up, sheepish.

"Then why won't you tell me?" Mrs. Lazarus asked.

"Because it's none of our business," he said. Then he looked at me. "Though I can't say that I'm surprised."

And neither was I, if I thought about it. If I really thought about it, I'd known all along.

Snow began to fall outside my window. A rowdy group of youths stumbled past on the sidewalk below, drunk on gin and Christmas cheer. There would be no roast beef for me that year, no blazing fire made from fragrant wood, no warm arms to collapse into when the wine was drunk. All the same, things could have ended much, much worse.

"Come on, then, Adler," Lazarus said, guiding his wife to the door by her elbow. "The soup isn't going to serve itself."

"I do hope Mr. Booth is there tonight," she said, the photo now forgotten. "I have a few ideas to put to him."

"I'll just bet you do," said Tim.

I ushered the Lazaruses into the hall and then went to put out the fire. As I stirred the coals, what remained of the photograph--of my past--blackened and disappeared. Some people believe that patterns in the coals can reveal clues about what's to come. However, all I saw was ashes.

Lazarus and his wife were at it again, their animated discussion blending in with the wailing babies and ominous clatters and bangs as they made their way down the hallway. It was a long way from York Street, to be sure, but it was a long way from Whitechapel as well. Leaning the poker against the wall, I reached for my coat and hat. Then I pulled the door shut behind me, squared my shoulders, and went out to meet the future.

Jess Faraday has earned her daily bread in a number of questionable ways, including translation, lexicography, copy editing, teaching high school Russian, and hawking shoes to the overprivileged offspring of Los Angeles-area B-listers. She enjoys martial arts, the outdoors, strong coffee, and a robust Pinot Noir.
The Affair of the Porcelain Dog
is her first novel.

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