He had not laughed. He had not even behaved as though this were unusual. What an extraordinary man. Of course, things might be different in Prussia. After all, Madame Bertha Mercedes ran the largest manufactory of steam engines in all of Europe. Perhaps women were accepted to the universities there as a matter of course.
“I hardly know which to choose, sir, so many interest me,” she replied. “But since my travels have brought me here, I find my fascination with flight grows daily.”
“One can hardly function in this vast land without some way to get about,” he said, nodding in agreement. “A landau depends upon the existence of roads. A water vessel upon a river or sea. But an airship…” He gestured into the distance, as if his great ship were moored outside in the park. “An airship can go anywhere and be put to nearly any use in the service of mankind.” His gaze returned to her. “I think you would be wise to pursue aeronautics, my dear.”
“Thank you, sir. I appreciate your counsel.”
“And do not forget the stock market.” He laughed at his own joke, clicked his heels and bowed from the waist to her and Davina, and drew John aside.
“Come, Claire,” Davina said. “I believe I see someone you know.”
“But—”
“We wi
ll leave the gentlemen to themselves for a moment.”
Claire resigned herself to being social when what she really wanted was to ask the count about hi Kounacceptes plans for a Zeppelin airfield outside New York
, and follow that with her questions about the power cell and its ability to replace a steam engine. “Yes, Davina.”
“Claire!” A small commotion seemed to be moving toward them, which resolved into none other than Peony Churchill. She flung herself upon Claire in a huge hug. “Oh, I am so glad to see you—Mama was quite convinced you had decided to stay in London and marry James Selwyn. See what a low opinion she has of you! But I knew differently.”
The laughter and joy faded from her face. “Claire? Are you quite all right?”
“Peony, did you not hear? James was killed in a train accident nearly two weeks ago.”
Wide-eyed, Peony lifted her gloved fingers to her lips. “No, I did not hear. We have been in Esquimaux country, documenting conditions there for a petition to Her Majesty.”
“I am very sorry to spring it on you in this fashion.”
“Are—are you all right?”
There were a number of ways to answer this, but Davina took the matter out of her hands. “They had not been engaged for some weeks.”
“Yes—yes, I know, but—” Peony suddenly seemed to realize to whom she was speaking. “Your ladyship, I do beg your pardon.” She sank into a graceful curtsey. “What a pleasure to see you. When I got your note that Claire had arrived, I hardly knew what to think. For all I knew, she was in New York awaiting passage here after her voyage on
Persephone
.”
“We must contrive a way to catch you up on my adventures,” Claire said. “I need at least two hours, and we will not get that here.”
“You certainly will not. I intend to see you dancing before this mazurka ends.” Davina sounded very firm. “Come along, you girls. There is Mrs. Abercrombie. She owns the second largest diamond mine in the Canadas, and her unmarried sons dancing attendance upon her stand to inherit the lot.”
“Who owns the largest one?” Claire asked.
“Why, John and I do, of course.”
Within moments of their introduction, Davina made sure that Claire and Peony were launched onto the ballroom floor in
a lively polka with the Abercrombie boys, and Claire had not another moment to think until Captain Hollys appeared at her elbow.
“This one, I think, is mine.”
The boy—Conrad? Charles?—relinquished her with a smile, and Claire found herself slowing both steps and heart rate as she relaxed. What a blessing it was to dance with someone familiar.
“Small talk is so exhausting,” she said on a long breath.
“I hope that is not meant to discourage me,” Captain Hollys said, clearly taken aback.
“Oh, no, I didn’t mean you.” She smiled up into his eyes. “I merely meant I am glad to dance with someone I know. Remarks upon the weather and the state of the roads have their place, but one can only take them so far.
Thank goodness the polka does not require much conversation.”
t size="+0">“And were you required to make small talk with Count von Zeppelin? I saw his lordship introduce you.”
“Is he not a fascinating man? Imagine being the one to invent something so marvelous as the airship—something we use for such magnificent purposes, and that we cannot imagine living without. I wonder if he realizes what a great thing he has done for mankind.”
“If he does, it is likely he gives the credit to his
engineering staff. He is not proud or self-involved.”
“He advised me to take
up aeronautical engineering when I return home.”
“And is that your intention? You do not plan to stay here?” He moved her smoothly into a turn that would take them close to the French doors.
“Goodness, no. I was only to come for a few weeks, until—”
Until I turned eighteen and James could not force me to marry him.
No, it would not do to bring up old hurts. “Until John and Davina wished to return to London.”
Another turn and he waltzed her out onto the terrace. The night air was cold, but braziers had been set up at intervals along the stone balustrade
, so it was not unpleasant.
“Captain Hollys, Davina will be looking for me.”
“I think we have been through enough together that you might call me by my Christian name. Ian.”
She hardly knew where to look. Part of her wanted to flee to the crowded ballroom and find Peony—find Davina—find Alice and see if she was still dancing with Andrew.
Andrew. She was in love with Andrew, was she not? How did one know? With him, she did not have this fluttery, nervous feeling in her chest. Instead, she felt a sense of safety, of homecoming. To be sure, a Kensington address might elicit the same feeling—so that could not be a symptom of love at all.
And yet … she had kissed Andrew, and it had been heaven.
She had kissed James, too, and it had been quite the opposite.
But now, here on this lovely terrace in a beautiful dress, she stood with a handsome man whose eyes told her he would very much like to be the third man to kiss her.
If she were in love with Andrew, then why was she filled with such … anticipation … at such a wicked prospect?
“Claire? What are you thinking?” He stood only inches from her, as though he might take her in his arms.
“I—I cannot say.”
“You can say anything you like to me.”
“You would be shocked.”
“From the woman who jumped into a flash flood … who sacrificed herself to save a friend
’s life … who managed to find her way across miles of desert practically unaided … I think not.”
“
Are you going to kiss me?”
Oh dear.
She had shocked him now.
“Should—should you like it if I did?” Captain Hollys was clearly attempting to regain his footing.
“Logically, you know, that question is unanswerable until after the fact.”
That surprised a laugh out of him. “You are a minx. But I should have expected nothing less. You are quite right. But logic notwithstanding, perhaps you might tell me something.”
It was not quite fair. She stood in the light of the brazier, while his face was shadowed. She stepped to the side so that both of them shared equally in the light.
“Certainly.”
“How does it stand between you and
Andrew Malvern?”
She wou
ld give a great deal to know that answer herself. “We are very good friends. We owe each other our lives.”
“Owing a life is not quite the same as promising one.”
“We are not promised. I have been too recently engaged for that.” Belatedly, it occurred to her that her affections were not really any of his business unless he planned to make them so. “What is your purpose in asking, Captain?”
“Ian.
I should think that when a man and a woman discuss kissing under the light of the moon, his purpose should be rather obvious. You cannot doubt my feelings for you, Claire.”
If her racing heart was any indication, that was a fact.
“But I should very much like to know yours.”
“If—if I knew them myself, I might be able to tell you
.” Oh dear. She sounded like a perfect featherhead. Snouts would be ashamed of her. “But Captain—Ian—there must be many other ladies here tonight with whom you might have this discussion.”
“I’m sure there are. But I am having it with you.”
“Many others with whom your time would be better spent. Ian, I am not the best prospect in the world. If you knew—there are things that—” She took a frustrated breath at her own inability to speak her mind. For if she did, he would bolt into that ballroom and for the rest of the voyage she would have to endure the loss of his friendship and the pain of his avoiding her.
She rather enjoyed being the Lady of Devices. She suspected, however, that the Lady would not make the best
choice of wife.
“If you mean to frighten me off, you will have to do a better job than this.” He smiled down at her, and moved a step closer. The tips of his polished boots touched the hem of her gown. “I have nothing but admiration for you. If it is your family’s straitened circumstances that you’re thinking of, that does not matter to me. I am not without resources.”
This reminded her of something she had meant to ask him. “How does a baronet come to be flying a ship for an earl, taking his orders and ferrying him about the world?”
“You did not know I
am a baronet?”
“You wear no such insignia on your collar, sir. Merely an airman’s wings and an officer’s bars.”
“And I am proud to wear them. For me, they are the important ones. As for taking the earl’s orders, he takes plenty of mine, too. We have seen too much together and had each other’s backs too many times to let something as unimportant as rank affect our relationship. I am, in fact, John’s cousin.”
“Ah
.” That certainly explained the ease with which he came and went among the members of the family. “But what of your responsibility to the baronetcy? Your home?”
“The estate is a small one, but it is in the capable hands of a
steward I trust. And until now, I have not been overly concerned with taking up, as you say, my responsibility. Should I be shot down, the estate will be folded into the Dunsmuir holdings and managed as efficiently as they manage everything.”
“I imagine your family would prefer you not be shot down. Though I must say, you came rather close on this voyage.”
“My mother would agree. She would like you, I think.”
I doubt that very much
.
My own mother has a difficult time with me.
“Ian, we can
not speak of these things.”
“I mentioned that I had not thought much of my responsibility until now. But I could see myself at Hollis Park, settling down, with a gray-eyed girl who makes my heart lift like a ship each time she enters a room.”
She must put a stop to this. Could he be about to propose? If so, she could not toy with a good man’s affections in this manner.
“Ian, I am … encumbered. I have the girls to think of, and Tigg, and Jake.”
And there is Andrew
.
“
It is heroic, the way you look after those children. I can be of assistance to them. I believe I have already offered young Tigg a position. Our chief engineer, Mr. Yau, is standing ready to take him on as midshipman, if you and he agree, and Jake has the makings of a fine navigator now that he has decided which side he wants to fight on.”