The gardens at the Governor’s Mansion at Fort Collingwood glowed like a fairyland. Lanterns in the tall kalsa trees shed shimmering light on the crowds as they ate, drank and talked.
Nathanial wandered through the sweet smells from the night-blooming plants as he nodded and spoke to various members of the party. It was both a celebratory and a farewell affair, for he and Annabelle were leaving soon.
He passed a small group of lizard-men servants near the long buffet table. They were gathered around Thymon, who displayed his new medal on a wide red ribbon about his neck. The others were looking at it admiringly; when one reached out to touch it, Thymon growled warningly.
Nathanial smiled and moved on, greeting the many who spoke to him but not pausing in his quest. He was looking for Annabelle.
Their arrival in the Rheingold at Fort David a week ago had caused quite a sensation there, and a flurry of telegraphs and heliographs had sent their story rocketing across the plateau. Mr Forbes-Hamilton had examined the zeppelin to his heart’s delight while Kurt had complained loudly about the insult and threatened all sorts of horrible results. After a talk with Sheridan, however, and many discussions with the Governor of the British colony, Kurt had subsided. Finally, the oberst and his ship had been allowed to depart for the German territory, their collective tails between their collective legs.
Simon O’Rourke, Nathanial was happy to know, was securely ensconced in the most secure prison on the plateau. No one believed his ridiculous tale of a dastardly German conspiracy to run the British off of Venus, and Kurt had disavowed all knowledge of the man and his stories.
“There you are, old man!” Jericho hurried up, his face nearly back to its normal healthy ruddiness, but his arm in a sling. After all their adventures, Jericho had taken a tumble coming down a gangplank on their first day back at Fort Collingwood and broken it. “I want to thank you one last time before you leave.” He thrust out his hand and Nathanial gave it a hearty shake.
“I take it you no longer fear for your position here?” Stone asked with a smile.
“Fear for it?” Jericho shook his head. “Why, I’m the fair-haired boy about here.”
“So you will no longer have to be nanny to Mister Forbes-Hamilton, I take it?” Nathanial asked.
“Well, about that, my dear fellow.” Jericho looked embarrassed. “I believe I’ve seen a bit more in the gentleman than I did at first. He’s really rather brilliant, you know—oh, not anywhere near your league, of course—and I’ve been asked to stay with him and help him with his new designs. With a promotion, mind you,” he pointed out cheerfully, “and a few other bits and bobs to go on with. After your suggestions, and the things he learned from examining the zeppelin, dear old F-H has some smashing new ideas. Really, I believe I shall quite enjoy it.”
“Excellent,” Nathanial said, pleased for his friend. “Though I cannot say I was all that much help. In fact, I feel I have learned more than I have taught.”
Annabelle came up just then, appearing out of a crowd of admiring gentlemen and dressed in a rather stunning gown. Nathanial hid a smile when he detected her usual serviceable boots peeking out below the hem.
“Giles! Nathanial! You will never guess what has happened!” She seized Nathanial’s hand and smiled happily at Jericho.
“What is that, Annabelle?” Jericho’s happy look had disappeared as if it had been wiped away.
Was the lad actually going to miss Annabelle? Nathanial could not conceive of such a thing, especially after all the trouble she’d gotten them both into. But he was aware that Jericho harboured tender feelings for her, and more than a bit of jealousy towards him.
“Not more gifts?” Nathanial asked cheerfully. “Really, if you are given anything else, we shall not be able to get it all onboard the next ship.”
“Oh, that won’t be a problem,” Annabelle said, waving her hand airily. “I shall simply leave everything here for a while, at least until we return from our little pleasure jaunt.”
Nathanial felt his heart sink, and his cheerful mood dissipated like fog on a windy morning.
“Do you not think we have seen quite enough of Venus, Annabelle?” he asked.
“Oh, I do, Nathanial,” she said earnestly. “I do indeed, lovely though I find it here.”
Nathanial let out a sigh of relief. “Well, then. Good.” Then he remembered what she’d just said. “But what do you mean, a little pleasure jaunt? We are leaving for Earth in a few days, as soon as the next aether liner arrives.”
“Oh, that,” said Annabelle with a happy sigh. “Don’t worry, we’ll be back in plenty of time for that. No, my dear boy. Just imagine! We’re off to Mercury in the morning!”
The End