Viridis - A Steampunk Romance (2 page)

Tinkerers were incredibly important to the Cause,
for it was through their innovations that they sought to better the
lives of the people, working for the good of all mankind. Though
she had always done all she could to help the Cause, Phoebe did not
always agree with the methods and demands made by those running
things, and felt they often asked too much from those willing to
help—too much from men like Seth.

Seth got out of his seat and knelt in front of her,
pulling her fighting hands into his. Phoebe allowed herself a
moment to really look at him. His hair was disheveled, longer than
he usually wore it, and he had lost some weight since she had last
seen him, his muscular form now leaner, more hardened than it had
been when he’d left. But his eyes were still the deep blue-green of
a tropical lagoon, intelligent and kind, promising far too
much.

How she wanted to just throw her arms around his
neck and bury herself in his warmth, breathe in his scent. But she
feared it would always end the same way, with him abandoning her to
go save the world. So she held fast to her convictions, and
gingerly removed her hands from his. “I do not know if I can do
this again. Things have changed since you left.”

He retreated to his chair, giving her the space she
needed. “Yes. I can see that. Congratulations on your success. It’s
well deserved. I know how hard you worked on it.”

“Thank you. You know, it probably would have never
happened if it hadn’t been for your help. Have you had a chance to
try it? It’s quite good actually.” She gave him a bit of a smile,
as the initial shock of seeing him wore off and her heart slowed
its gallop. She told herself she would be fine if she could only
manage to avoid discussing their relationship.

“Not yet, but I was hoping you would join me.” He
raised his eyebrows in question.

“Of course.” Phoebe caught the attention of one of
her girls. “From my private reserve, please.” She could not help
but notice Seth’s eyes go wide for just a moment as he took in the
girl’s uniform before quickly looking away, a blush creeping across
his cheeks. Though the waitress’s outfits were tasteful and
elegant, they did run towards the provocative.

With the girl gone, they sat in silence, just taking
in one another while they waited, getting used to being in each
other’s company once again. It was not long before the young woman
returned, wheeling a small cart before her. She greeted them with a
small curtsey
.

“Thank you, Maggie,” Phoebe said, by way of
dismissal. She picked up the small, dark green bottle and poured a
thimble-sized amount into two slender crystal glasses. The liquid
was slightly viscous, and just the palest of greens. “From my own
personal supply. Normally we dilute the strength, and though this
still isn’t at full concentration, it’s not too far from it.”
Handing him a glass, she said, “Welcome back, Seth.”

He lifted his glass to hers, and she watched as he
took a tentative sip.

“You are right. It is quite good.” He took another
sip, and then smiled. “A little different from your earlier
formulations.”

Phoebe thanked him before bringing her own drink to
her lips. There was only a hint of bitterness, with dominant notes
of citrus and herb. It was slightly sweet, and it went down with an
alcoholic burn that sent a warm heat through her body. She did not
often drink Viridis herself. Although the side effects of the drink
were limited, it did seem to make one susceptible to an overly rosy
view of things, and the other lustier characteristics of the herbal
did not lend themselves overly when one did not have an outlet for
release
.
She knew that in ten minutes time that heat would
turn into a mellow euphoria, sending tingles across her skin,
leaving it sensitive enough that the mere breath of one’s lover
could ignite passions.

“So are you going to tell me of your adventures? It
must have been exciting over in the Outlands.” When he was assigned
the mission, she’d begged him to take her with him, wanting only to
escape her anguish over her sister’s death, but he had refused,
claiming the conditions to be too harsh for her to endure.

“I wouldn’t have called it exciting. Nothing but
metal and grime, barely another soul to be found. It’s just too
cold for most humans and even the steam techs have problems when
they go up to the surface for any length of time. Actually, it was
Gavin that brought me back on his airship. He sends his
regards.”

“Gavin?” Though she could not help but smile at the
thought of their dear friend, she also could not stop her pulse
from picking up its pace. When he had last visited her some six
months ago, their visit had ended badly. “It’s been months since I
saw him last. I do hope he’s well. He’s always taking on such
dangerous cargo runs. I always fear he’ll run into some
difficulty.”

Fearless and accomplished, Gavin flew when others
refused—whether it be horrible weather conditions, territories at
war or precious cargo—he was one of the most sought after airship
captains. Gavin never shied away from a perilous situation, and had
a knack for always landing on his feet.

“He always manages, does he not?” Seth said with a
smile. “He’ll be staying in London for a bit, so I trust he’ll show
up around here at some point or another.” Seth took another sip of
his drink and then gave his head a shake. “This is something
powerful, Phoebe. No wonder you cut its strength,” he said, his
eyes intense, sparkling.

Phoebe nodded in agreement, feeling her shoulders
relax. Drinking Viridis with Seth probably wasn’t the wisest of
decisions. Inventing the drink had not made her immune to its
effects, and Phoebe felt her resolve to keep her distance from him
melting away. The room was suddenly much too warm, her garments far
too restrictive, and her breath so shallow she felt she might
faint. Each pounding beat of her heart sent a pulse of need through
her very core.

“I’ve missed you, Seth.” The words were out before
she could stop herself. She inwardly scolded herself for being weak
and looked down at the glass in her hands. “You could have written,
you know.”

He sat forward on the edge of his seat, only a
breath away. “By the gods, Phoebe, do ye not think I would have
written or called if it were at all a possibility? You know the
Aether is weak that far north, making communication an
impossibility.” A faint Scottish lilt crept into his voice, as it
always did when his emotions were running high or when he let his
guard down. How she had missed it. The pain in his voice and the
pleading in his eyes tore at her defenses, and she reached for his
hand as he asked, “Do ye not know how hard it was to leave ye
here?”

“Is this gentleman bothering you, Phoebe?” A cold,
familiar voice came from behind them, cutting through the warm
effects of the Viridis, sending a shard of panic through her
heart.

“Victor,” she stood and forced a smile. “Thank you,
but no. Everything is fine here.”

The last person she wanted to see was Lord Victor
Fenwick— especially with Seth present. In Seth’s absence, Phoebe
had no other amorous ties, and Victor had started courting her soon
after she opened her club, even going as far as asking Gabriel for
her hand in marriage. Gabriel had made it clear it was her decision
to make, which only made Victor more persistent in his pursuit.

Seth also stood, the crease in his brow making it
clear he was unhappy about the interruption. Phoebe made the
introductions. “Lord Victor Fenwick, Mr. Seth Elliott.”

Though they were both exceptionally handsome, they
couldn’t have been more different. Seth was tall, lean and
muscular. His dark hair was long enough to brush his collar, his
strong jaw clean-shaven. Though not born into a family of wealth,
Seth’s brilliant work as a philanthropist and tinkerer had elevated
his status in society—one of the reasons the Cause found him so
valuable. Where Seth was tall, dark, and lean, Victor was shorter
and brawnier of build, his strong cheekbones framed by his
well-trimmed blonde beard. As part of a family prominent in London
society, Victor was more concerned with wealth, status, and power
than the well-being of others.

The two gentlemen glowered at one another, towering
over Phoebe’s petite frame like two dogs fighting over their turf.
Victor spoke first, his voice a growl. “I have not seen you at
Viridis before, Mr. Elliott. I must confess to spending a fair
amount of time here, as I’m never able to go very long without
paying dear Phoebe a visit.”

Seth smiled at Victor, his gaze sharp and
unwavering. “It is true. I have only just returned from a trip
abroad, though I consider myself lucky to be familiar with both
Phoebe and her curious herbal, having had the pleasure of helping
her with her endeavor.” Turning to Phoebe with a smile, he took her
hand in his. “Indeed I do not think I’ll ever forget the effect
that very first batch had on me— or you as I recall
.”

Phoebe blushed crimson at the memory. Indeed, it was
that first batch that led to the discovery of the true effects of
Viridis and the rumor amongst London society that the herbal could
bring on an orgasm with a single kiss.

When Gabriel waved her over, she was relieved to
have an excuse to leave. Between the effects of the drink, the
memories of Seth, and the two men hovering over her, it was all too
much for her to handle.

“I’m terribly sorry, but my brother is hailing me.
If you will both excuse me, I do hope you will enjoy the rest of
your evening.” Then without waiting for a response, she walked back
to the bar on still-wobbly legs
.

“That was looking like a precarious situation you
had gotten yourself into.” Gabriel gave her a crooked smile, making
him all the more handsome, his dark curls bringing out the blue of
his eyes.

“I cannot thank you enough for your help. I think it
has left me feeling a bit drained, though. I’m going to retire for
the evening, if you think you can manage things here.”

“You know that’s never a problem, love. Truth of the
matter is, you have the place so well-staffed, it could run itself
without either of us here. Your escape, however, might not be so
easily made.” He motioned behind her with his chin.

She turned just in time to see Seth approaching, her
pulse becoming erratic as he neared.

“Let me at least see you home, Phoebe.” The gentle
pleading in his voice tore at her few remaining defenses.

Victor stood where she’d left him, his thick arms
folded across his chest, his mouth set into a thin line. But her
attention strayed only for a moment— Seth was too close, his scent
too familiar.

Unable to resist him any longer, she gave Seth a nod
of agreement, despite the fact that she could still feel Victor’s
gaze upon her. She knew he was not a man she should anger, but she
had never returned his advances, though he was always showing up at
the club, bringing her small gifts. Perhaps this would finally make
it clear that she had no interest in him romantically, even if she
felt just a little guilty, wondering if she had inadvertently
encouraged him in some way.

Seth took her hand in his, his touch pulling her
from her thoughts. He brought it to his lips before tucking it in
the crook of his elbow, a smile on his face, his eyes dancing in
the dim lamplight. Her pulse raced as she walked out of the room on
his arm, hoping she would not later regret her decision, for even
though she had not said a word, already she could feel her heart
surrendering to him.

Chapter Three

Inspector William Thomas climbed the stone treads of
the townhouse belonging to Lord Edward Hawthorne, his chest
tightening with each step. This was always the hardest part of the
job. Telling mothers and fathers they would never again see their
sons, telling husbands they would never again hold their wives. Yet
he would still have to pose his questions, and would still have to
uncover their secrets, while the family attempted to deal with the
shock of their loss.

The brass knocker felt heavy and substantial in his
gloved hand as he knocked. The cold of the metal crept through the
leather, sending a chill down his spine.

William had come directly from the scene of the
murder, and it was still hours until dawn. Only the servants would
be awake, stoking the fires and getting the cooking started. Under
normal circumstances, the masters of the household would not rise
for several more hours.

It took some time before the footman answered the
door. Though his clothing was rumpled and his hair stood on end, he
was a tall, handsome young man. William had no doubt he was chosen
for the position because of his height and good looks, just another
vain show at maintaining one’s status in London society. It struck
him as such an absurd extreme that the rich could worry about
whether their footman was handsome enough, while the poor were left
to wonder whether they’d survive another day. It was no wonder the
Cause had taken hold like a fire in a dry summer field.

The footman gave him a quick appraisal, his eyes
lingering on the cut of his coat and the scuffs on his worn boots.
“May I help you?” He couldn’t quite keep the disdain out of his
voice. Though William had made the rank of inspector, he was still
considered no better than a servant— a servant who should have been
using the service entrance. It was only the time of day that had
the footman biting back any retort.

“I need to speak with Lord Hawthorne. It is of the
utmost importance.” He handed the footman his calling card. “I will
give him your card when he awakes, but he is a busy man. I
recommend you schedule an appointment at his office if you have
business with him.” The footman took a step back, getting ready to
dismiss William.