“We can’t very well stay cooped up in this room the entire journey,” Amara said, drumming her perfectly manicured nails on her knee. “It’s three whole days.”
“Oh, we could,” Ellis said. “They’ll deliver food to the door. We’d have everything we’d need to survive.”
“Until we kill each other, at least.” Nyssa shook her head. For once she agreed with Amara.
Renard leaned into his wife, his hands tight about her shoulder as if his touch could protect her from the horror of three days confined to quarters.
“They have fancy dinners and game nights on these voyages.” Amara stuck out her bottom lip. “I was hoping to enjoy some of the entertainment.”
“Then you should’ve bought your own ticket,” Nyssa said.
Renard glared at her, and Amara turned her face away.
“Nyss is right. We have to keep a low profile. If we go out, we need to avoid the other passengers and crew—especially the crew.” Ellis set down his now-empty cup. “From my understanding, the majority of the cabins went unbooked for this voyage. I took a peek in the dining room on my way back and only counted six other passengers. It shouldn’t be that hard to keep to ourselves and still occasionally stretch our legs. We’ll just have to pretend we’re two rather than four.”
“What about making Nyssa look like me?” Amara asked.
Nyssa’s eyes narrowed. “Why do I have to look like you? Why can’t you look like me?”
“Amara’s manner of dress is more consistent with the average zeppelin passenger,” Ellis pointed out. “You own one skirt and one pair of trousers, Nyss, not exactly the wardrobe of a lady of means on a luxury cruise.” He pointed to the corner where a steamer trunk, two hat boxes, and a smaller suitcase sat. “I’m assuming Amara has enough clothes in there to outfit a theater troupe.”
Amara’s pale cheeks flushed. “Just the basics. I didn’t have much time to pack. I suppose I can find something for Nyssa to wear, though.”
Nyssa squirmed. She prided herself on her grooming. Looking clean and professional was important, after all, but to squeeze into a flashy frock like the scarlet-and-lace atrocity now hugging Amara’s curves … it just wasn’t her.
“All right. It’s only for a few days,” she said.If I have to spend more than a few days around Amara, fashion will be the least of her worries.
“And now here’s the part I don’t like much.” Ellis exhaled a loud breath. “You’re going to have to use my chair when you go out, Renard.”
Nyssa started, but Renard almost fell over.
“What? Why?”
“Because while we don’t look as alike as Nyssa and Amara, we’re still going to have to pretend to be the same person. While you can learn to use my chair, I can’t very well learn to walk.” Ellis slid out of the chair to sit beside Nyssa. “It’s not hard to use. If anyone questions why you’re suddenly lame, just say an old injury’s acting up. However, in my experience, people aren’t eager to interrogate an invalid. You should be fine.”
“How’d you end up in that chair, anyway?” Renard asked.
“It was a fight with someone who asked too many personal questions. You should see the other guy.” Ellis kept his voice flat, but Nyssa couldn’t hide a smirk. Especially when Renard recoiled. After blinking stupidly a few times, the young man’s expression hardened, and he glowered at Nyssa and Ellis.
Ellis nudged the chair towards Renard. “Simple enough, really. The chair moves forward when you engage the switch on the arm and back if you toggle the same switch the other way. The middle setting puts on the brakes. That’s all you really need to know.”
Renard settled in the chair. His feet dangled an inch above the footrest. “Is it adjustable?”
“No, sorry. I made it for my measurements,” Ellis said. “Go ahead. Take it out for a jaunt. Get familiar with it. Just try to avoid scrutiny.”
“I’ll go with him.” Amara bounced to her feet. “If I have to stay cooped up in here any longer, I’ll wilt.”
Renard tipped his hat over his eyes and rolled towards the door. Several times he bumped into the frame before finally managing to get into the hall.
Ellis winced at every whack. “I’m already regretting this.” He scooted to lean against the wall as soon as Amara and Renard were gone.
Seeing Ellis lose his means of mobility made Nyssa feel petty for fussing over wardrobe choices.It wouldn’t kill Renard to be a little more grateful. I’ve known thieves with better manners.
“I’m sure he won’t ruin it. Like you said, it’s fairly straightforward.” Nyssa slipped off her peacoat, folded it, and placed it on the bed between them. “I’ll admit, I’ve considered asking you if I could try it.”
“You should’ve. I’d trust you with it.” He ran his fingers through his dark, wavy hair. “This is going to be a long three days. Since we’re trapped here, what do you want to do? Maybe they have a deck of cards or a gameboard. I could teach you chess.”
Nyssa stood and poked around the tiny secretary desk that took up one corner. She found stationary, postcards, inkwells, and fountain pens … even a few after-dinner mints. “I don’t see any games.”
Amara’s luggage took up a quarter of the limited floor space. Nyssa tapped her fingers on the hard leather of the suitcase. Most of it was monogrammed with the initials C.B.
Probably stolen, too.
All of it appeared to be locked. “Awfully protective of her finery, isn’t she?”
“Amara was obviously born wealthy, trained to view fashion as her true calling,” he said. “I used to rub elbows with the type, before my accident and father’s madness. Daughters of his investors, mostly. They’re not like you.”
“Not like me because I’m plain and look like my hair was styled with a … what did she say? Tuning fork?”
“Salad fork, I believe. Nyss, I’m pretty sure I’ve told you that you are not by any means plain.”
“Well,
