As thesounds died down we looked into each other’s eyes. As one we movedtogether and kissed fiercely. Her freed right arm found its wayaround my body and up to my head. Her tongue slid easily between mylips and thrills raced through my body as mine joined hers inecstatic joy.
Ourhearts beat hammer-like from the adrenaline pumping through us. Myarms slid around her waist, my right pulling her body closertowards mine, my left sliding up over her dress to her auburn hair.Her body fervently pressed against mine, begging to becaressed.
Openingmy eyes I saw my yearning desire mirrored in her hazelones.
A loudcough broke the spell and I quickly pulled away to see that SirPercival had just appeared around a large crate. He’d momentarilyblocked the liaison from seeing myself and Katherine in the throesof passion.
Icleared my own throat and said, “Just get these off you, Miss,”before picking up the bolt cutters and re-attacking the manacles.“Did you get Tok?” I added, quickly making conversation.
“No,” Sir Percival replied ruefully, “He escaped fleeing downa booby-trapped sewer.”
Katherine was still breathing heavily as she glanced betweenSir Percival, myself, and the bald Departmental liaison. She wasprobably wondering about the hair situation.
I feltsomeone walk up to me. “I’d best do this, Miss Lovelady,” SirPercival said quietly, taking the bolt cutters from my hands.Looking at Katherine he said, “I don’t believe we’re acquainted,Miss?”
“Katherine.”
“Delighted to meet you. Get you out in a jiffy, then we cantake you back so that Miss Lovelady here can make sure you’ve notsuffered at Mr Tok’s hands.”
Her eyesmet mine and we shared a special look.
***
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The CaspianStar
One
A handshook me from a dream of splashing around in the local river withKatherine. Blearily I looked up and my heart burst into a sprint asa monster looked down at me. Then my eyes got accustomed to the lowlight from the lantern and I realised it was just Sir Percival,with his hair looking more dishevelled than usual.
“Time to go, Miss Lovelady,” he whispered, glancingmeaningfully over at my bed companion and then back tome.
The dayhad finally come. Katherine and I had already spoken about thismany times, sometimes forcefully, sometimes tearfully. For a reasonI couldn’t fathom, and she wouldn’t divulge, she seemed overlyupset at not being allowed to accompany me. By some miracle we’dmanaged to avoid the flapping ears of the Departmental Liaisonapparently hiding around every corner. It felt like a rift growingbetween us that however much I professed my feelings for her (andamply demonstrated them in bed) I just couldn’t bridge.
SirPercival quietly left my bedroom and I rolled over to slide my armaround Katherine’s naked body, pressing my own against her warmback. Her tense muscles told me she’d heard Sir Percival and waspretending to be asleep.
I gentlybrushed her hair from her shoulder and kissed the smooth skin I’drevealed. Then I forced myself out of the bed into the colder air.Quickly I wrapped myself in my dressing gown and went to get ready.My heart fell as I glanced back towards the bed and saw Katherine’sback still to me.
Thankfully Sir Percival had his mind on other things anddidn’t try to engage me in conversation at the breakfast tablewhere we fortified ourselves for the day ahead. Was he as excitedas me about seeing the airship as I? Or were his thoughts revolvingmore around examples of Russian masculinity? The answer would, nodoubt, be revealed later.
Afterdressing for travel we encountered the more than usual sour-lookingLiaison inside the entrance hallway to the stately home the secretDepartment we worked for owned. I made sure to pick up my umbrella– one can never be too sure about the British weather. The skyoutside had yet to be tinged by the light of dawn and Wilkins hadthankfully lit all the lanterns around the steam carriage. Itsexhalations rose into the chill air combined with our own. My eyesmet those of Sir Percival and I saw my excitement mirrored in his;although perhaps for very different reasons.
~*~
The invitation had come out of the blue. How they even knewof Sir Percival and decided to request his presence was a mysteryhe happily accepted. What mattered was that he and a guest (yourstruly!) had been invited to the inaugural visit to Britain of theRussian royal family in their state airship, the Czar Nicholas.Apparently Gustav Faberge had a major hand in the decorations andrumour had it that at least twofortunes of precious gems and gold had been usedin its outfitting. The newspapers also slyly rumoured that acertain jewel had also been incorporated into Faberge’s design –that of the world’s largest Sapphire, the Caspian Star, whichapparently took pride of place in the main reception room. I wasjust dying to see it (assuming the newspapers only printed thetruth), and decided to try and nudge Lady Luck into smiling upon mein my endeavour by wearing a new dress of a gorgeous deep bluehue.
Thecourse of state diplomacy was a river I had no intention of dippingany part of my body into so I didn’t ask why Her Majesty wouldn’tbe present at this event, but instead would be hosting a receptionlater that evening at Buckingham Palace. Whatever the reason I washappy to be out of the laboratory again (and with little chance ofencountering murderous rockhopper penguins).
Wehurried aboard the carriage and I was grateful to see that MrsMiggins (such a dear) had packed a picnic hamper which was storedunder the rear seat. Sir Percival and I quickly sat atop the rearseat and hid the hamper from sight by arrangement of his long coatand my dress before
