Helena had always been intrigued by the inner workings of mechanical devices, but she had none of that gift she felt Lane had. She opened the door to Bessie’s double stable, the morning sunlight glistened off the clean car. “Lane must’ve stayed up last night and wash the car after we went to bed. I wonder how much work goes on around me while I sleep my life away?” The revelations thrust upon her yesterday had changed her. She could feel the way she thought about many things in life evolving. She walked along the side of the vehicle letting her fingertips softly caress the mahogany that formed the frame. The Professor not only made terrific mechanical instruments, but he also made them beautiful. Near the rear the vehicle she examined the now empty shelf that Lane had stored the food and kerosene. She inspected how it worked and thought about how it might be improved. Standing at the back of the car and thinking how amazing this apparatus honestly was. She looked up, and there stood Lane, a spanner in hand ready to do some damage.
“Step away from the vehicle, and no one needs to get hurt,” Lane growled at the front of the vehicle.
“Lane, it’s me, Helena,” she stood still.
Taking a step back, not letting his guard down, he spoke again, “Step into the light so I can get a better look at you. No sudden moves or I’ll hit you a good one.”
“Are you always so grumpy first thing in the morning?” Helena said, both her hands raised, she walked deliberately out into the morning sunlight.
“I’ll be damned. That is a good disguise. I’m not even sure I would recognize you in the sunlight if you didn’t speak. Now you need to think of some way to disguise your voice. Make it deeper.”
“Like this?” Helena tried to mask her voice, making it sound more of a tenor from her natural alto, but she sounded more like a female impersonator than a female impersonator.
“We’ll need to work on that, or you could always play deaf and dumb,” Lane chuckled at his joke.
“And you don’t have to play dumb,” Helena took a swing at Lane’s midriff and caught him in the stomach by surprise. She blinked, surprised Lane’s stomach felt like a rock even when he wasn’t ready. She had to shake out her wrist after the punch.
“If you want to learn how to fistfight, I can teach you, but right now we need to head back up to the house Sigmund’s looking for you,” Lane turned and started walking to the main house.
“I know what we need to do today, we will need Bessie. Thanks for staying up last night getting her ready.”
“Machines are just like animals, they need to be taken care of. I was raised humans are the last ones to go to sleep, all the animals get taken care of first.”
“Next time you wash Bessie I want to help. I also want you to teach me how she works.”
“Sure thing,” Lane opened the servants’ door, and they both walked in.
“Look what I found looking over Bessie.”
Sigmund walked up, “Miss, please if you’re going to go walking around the grounds, let somebody know.”
“Miss Andrea knew I went to the barn, did you ask her?”
“No, I did not think to ask in the kitchen. I will not make that mistake again. I apologize. Now you had time to sleep on your decision where would you like to start the search this morning?”
“Yes, there is a Chinese Girls School in an alley near Montgomery and Jackson. It is run by Miss Tsang Mei I think we should start there.”
Sigmund didn’t ask where she got her information, but her idea sounded as good as any he had. “Very well, that sounds like an excellent first move. Lane do you know the area?”
“Course I do, that’s Chinatown.”
“Then I suggest you get Bessie ready, we will leave as soon as we are able, if Helena agrees,” Lane did half a salute before he left.
“I think it’s a great idea. The more we investigate, I have a growing foreboding that it is more than merely a missing friend.”
“I tend to agree with you. How are you feeling?”
“I was exhausted last night, this morning I feel energized. Can you tell the other staff to let Gertie and Wai Han rest in my room today? They stayed up late last night helping me prepare for today. When we find a chance, I would like to discuss the staff, their hours, their pay, and how we normally provide for them. I want to learn how the estate is run.”
“Of course, in all respects. I will handle the ladies in your room. Shall I meet you out front?”
“Yes,” Helena began to like the feeling of her new-found independence.
She almost grabbed a parasol as she went out the door, but instead looked at her dirty face under her flat-cap in the hall mirror. She barely recognized herself. “Wonder what other disguises I can come up with,” she said to herself.
She stepped outside when she heard Bessie coming down the path from the barn. In no time she had herself in the backseat waiting for Sigmund to join them. It would be a quick trip downtown.
Lane let them out at the corner of Montgomery and Jackson.
