it did take a bloody long week.”
“Apparently the queen spent the last few days deliberating with an adviser,” Simon said. “Given her views on time travel and the Peace Rebels in general, I’m grateful she didn’t act in haste and order the artifacts destroyed.”
“What did she decide?”
Simon waited until the server had placed two fresh cups and a small pot of aromatic coffee on the table before plunging into what he considered to be a fantastic tale. Never had he thought to meet Queen Victoria face- to-face, let alone receive a royal invitation to share his sketches and plans for Project Monorail. Indeed, his shock and elation were such he’d found it most difficult to fully concentrate on the legendary submissions. Thankfully, Willie, Amelia, and Gentry had been present, keeping the task at hand on track.
“Not so surprisingly,” Simon said, “although the queen believed the engine and compendium to be worthy of submission for the Triple R Tourney, she did not deem a formal submission wise. Publicly declaring the PR’s engine had not in fact been destroyed and that it was indeed the original engine used by Briscoe Darcy? Governments across the globe as well as assorted criminal kingpins would be vying to pinch the engine for God knows what use.”
“So the queen and her adviser, the director of Her Majesty’s Mechanics,” Willie said, “decided that the best course was to lock away the clockwork propulsion engine in a secret vault, a royal vault. I cannot think of a better solution. It is safe. It is sound. And it is no longer my responsibility,” she said. “I firmly believe my mother can now rest in peace, and that is a great comfort to me as well as to my father.”
“What of the Aquarian Cosmology Compendium?” Phin asked.
“Curious, that,” Simon said. “The director of HMM was not aware that the data of the ACC had been divided amongst three disks. Apparently the agency is in possession of one-third, compliments of guess who?”
“Thimblethumper?”
Willie nodded. “So now only one disk is at large and they believe that disk is in the possession of Professor Maximus Merriweather.”
Phin drummed his fingers on the scarred table. “Did the director say? Is that what they sent Jules to procure?”
“The director and indeed the queen were loath to talk about Jules and his mission,” Simon said. “Frustrating to say the least.”
“The best news,” Willie said after giving Simon’s hand a supportive squeeze, “is that Queen Victoria was most pleased that Tucker and Amelia convinced Captain Dunkirk to hand over the antiquity he’d stolen from them. Leonardo da Vinci’s ornithopter will be returned to the Italian government and that international incident will be put to rest.”
“She was also pleased that Gentry apprehended one of Europe’s most wanted sky pirates within a day of being commissioned to do so,” Simon said.
“And,” Willie said, her rainbow eyes sparkling with the sensation of it all, “she agreed to consider pardoning Captain Dunkirk of his past crimes
“Dunkirk only made that offer to keep himself out of the Tower,” Phin said.
“Clearly,” Simon said. “But Dunkirk’s holding a colossal grudge against Bingham, and Gentry, who seems to hold some sort of professional regard for the pirate, thinks he’ll make good on the promise.”
“I’m still shocked knowing Strangelove and Bingham, a titled noble who actually owns land near Ashford and who had designs on marrying Amelia, are one and the same,” Willie said. “I will not rest until I know the whole of his story.”
“I’ll not rest until he’s crushed,” Simon said.
“Speaking of Amelia,” Phin said. “I thought they were going to join us.”
“I daresay Tucker’s not up to socializing,” Willie said. “He received news of his sister this morning. Unbeknownst to him Lily had been aboard the dirigible transporting Prime Minster Madstone across the Atlantic.”
“The airship attacked by Freak Fighters?” Phin asked.
“The same,” Simon said. “Without getting into the long of it, she was badly injured and Gentry’s former ship’s doctor was pulled into the scene.”
“Doc Blue,” Phin said. “The Freak who betrayed Gentry and his crew.”
“The Freak who saved Gentry’s sister, returning her sight and her will to live. The Freak who married her.”
Phin blinked. “So now Gentry’s wrestling with the knowledge that his little sister married a dubious sort?” He snorted. “You just made my day, Darcy.”
“I have faith that it will all work out,” Willie said.
Phin toasted her with his coffee. “Compliments of your newly adopted optimistic attitude.”
Simon regarded his friend with intensified interest. “Willie has given her notice at the
The man leaned back and regarded Simon a moment before speaking, a quiet connection that knotted Simon’s gut. “I’m leaving for Australia this afternoon,” Phin said.
“Because we’ve lost touch with Jules?” Simon asked.
“Yes. And because Bella Caro’s ship went down in Queensland. Her pilot was killed. She’s missing.”
“How awful,” Willie said.
Simon frowned. “The director of the HMM said nothing of losing his Freak surgeon.”
“Naturally,” Phin said. “Bella’s journey was unsanctioned.” He rose, kissed the back of Willie’s hand, then gripped Simon’s shoulder. “I’ll be in touch.”
A moment later he was gone and Willie leaned into Simon. “I feel awful,” she said.
Simon took a deep breath, searched his mind, his heart. He listened to his gut and heard nothing. “As it happens, I feel hopeful. I don’t know what’s going on with Jules, Willie. I don’t know what he’s up to. But knowing my brother, it’s something great.”
Willie smiled, then stole a brief kiss before looking out the window and across the bustling street. “I’m glad we decided to buy Thimblethumper’s Shoppe of Curiosities. Wherever Ollie Rollins is, I’m sure he’d be most pleased to know my father agreed to step in as the proprietor. If anyone appreciates twentieth-century wonders and historical oddities, it is Michael Goodenough.”
Simon wrapped his arm around his wife, marveling that he felt as though he’d made his mark upon the world simply by focusing on family. “I’m glad your father agreed to move back to Notting Hill. And I’m relieved the queen’s gratitude extended to securing Ashford for my mother. We may not be legal, Willie, but we’re blessed.”
“Aye,” she said, smiling and leaning into his kiss. “We are blessed.”
Read on for a look at the first novel in the Glorious Victorious Darcys series by Beth Ciotta,
HER SKY COWBOY
Available in print and e-book from Signet Eclipse
PROLOGUE
GREAT BRITAIN, 1887 THIRTY-ONE YEARS AFTER THE INVASION OF THE TWENTIETH-CENTURY PEACE
