“No, the dressmaker worked wonders, didn’t he?” I pulled up the stool to the dressing table and started to apply the stick of Carmine 2 to my lips before this conversation could continue. But he confirmed my thoughts by saying, “Bess is coming to watch the show tonight. She wants to see how her replacement is doing.”

“Is she well enough to be out at night like this?”

“My brother Dash is bringing her in a cab. They’ll be in the stage box.”

“That will make me extra nervous,” I said. “Bess will notice every little thing that I do wrong.”

“Don’t be silly. She’ll be delighted that you were able to take her place. After all, you’re doing this for Bess, aren’t you?” Then he added, “We’re both doing this for her. She’s the one who believed I was in danger.”

“And you don’t? After what happened?”

“I suppose I have to, don’t I? But it wasn’t I who was almost killed, it was my wife.”

“A warning to you, do you think?” I asked.

“A warning?” I could see from his face that he was considering this. Then he shook his head. “Oh, but that’s ridiculous.”

I turned from the mirror to face him. “Look, Mr. Houdini—Harry—you’ve hired me to find out who wishes you harm and yet I have the feeling there are things you are not willing to share with me. How can I help you?”

“I don’t believe you can,” he said. “You must realize that I’m only doing this to pacify my wife. What could a young girl like you do to protect me from the sort of man who might wish me harm?”

“I can’t answer that until you tell me what sort of man that might be,” I said. There was a silence so I turned to him again. “I think you suspect who it is, don’t you?”

“Not really,” he said.

I waited. There was a long silence as he stared at his hands, then he looked up and gave me an easy smile. “After tomorrow this should all be behind us,” he said with an airy wave of his hand.

“Tomorrow? What is happening tomorrow?

“I’m taking a little trip. Then at least I will have done my part. The rest isn’t up to me.”

“Your part in what?”

“A little extra job, shall we say.”

He paused in front of the mirror and smoothed a wayward dark strand of hair into place.

“What kind of extra job?”

“I really can’t tell you anymore. But just be assured that by the time we open on Tuesday your only task will be to assist with my illusions, until Bess feels confident enough to come back.”