Curtsies & Conspiracies (Finishing School, #2)(75)

“I’ll explain while we change. We have a rescue to mount and a hive house to infiltrate.”

“What?”

“Come on, please!”

“What are we changing into?” Sidheag asked, as they hurried back to their rooms.

Sophronia thought about her encounter with the fashionable blond vampire. “Dandies. We need to look like dandies.”

Sidheag pursed her lips. “I’m not cutting my hair.”

They did their best with the disguises, dressing in a combination of Sidheag’s trousers and their own lace under blouses and velvet vests. Real dandies would have had better-fitting clothing, not to mention superior cravats. The two girls ended up looking like something that came from an underfunded circus.

“We are ridiculous.” Sidheag adjusted her coat in the mirror. “And you don’t have a jacket.”

“Preshea has one of those new little short ones, you know, like the bullfighters of Spain.” Sophronia went off on a raid, returning with a bright red-and-gold bolero of which Preshea was particularly proud. Sophronia put it on.

“God’s teeth,” said Sidheag, succinctly.

They did look preposterous, but Sophronia felt that would throw people off if they were caught. “Here, wrap this blue scarf around your waist, and I’ll do the same with Dimity’s fringed yellow one, and we can say we have been attending a fancy dress ball.”

Sidheag did as she was told. “What will Captain Niall think of us?”

“Does that matter, so long as he gets us there? I do hope we have lessons soon on how to memorize locations. I’m annoyed with myself for not knowing how to get back to the hive.”

“Better to worry about how absurd we look! No one in their right mind would let us into their house. Wait, hive? What hive?”

Sophronia explained about Dimity and Pillover being kidnapped by Lord Ambrose and the Westminster Hive.

“I think the vampires want to force their parents to either stop making the guidance valves altogether or hand control of the technology over to the hive. Dimity’s parents are reportedly working for the Picklemen, and the vampires don’t trust Picklemen. Nor do I. For that matter, I just don’t trust any of them.” While she talked, she stashed anything she could think of that might be useful about her person—smelling salts in the waistcoat pocket, sewing scissors down the front of her corset, ribbon around her wrist, and a perfume-soaked handkerchief up one sleeve.

“I’m confused. Sabotage or not, this is clearly a technology vampires canna utilize.”

“I think that’s why they’re panicking. They’re trying to ensure this mode of travel is under their influence.”

Sidheag understood at that. “Can’t have the prey bouncing about through the aetherosphere all willy-nilly, now can they?”

“Sidheag, you think like a predator.”

The Lady of Kingair glowed in pleasure. “Thank you very much, Sophronia. What a nice thing to say.”

They were discussing whether to climb around the outside of the ship or save time by running the inside corridors but risk the mechanical alarm when Vieve showed up.

“What’s going on?” demanded the scamp.

“Get us to engineering fast and I’ll tell you,” replied Sophronia.

“My pleasure.” Vieve whipped out her obstructor.

As they negotiated the halls at a jog, blasting one mechanical after another, Sophronia panted out her story again.

Vieve believed her without question. “Makes far more sense for the vampires to want to influence Dimity’s parents than old Ambrose’s excuse. Can’t understand why Lady Linette would believe him.”

Sophronia said, “This school has a vampire patron and a vampire teacher. Lady Linette wants to believe him. She wants to believe the potentate has control over the hives and that they aren’t kidnapping her students on a whim. I think Sister Mattie and Professor Braithwope, were he capable, are on our side. Captain Niall certainly is.”

“He would be. Werewolves always suspect vampires.” Vieve nodded gravely.

The sooties, after their conquest of the upper atmosphere, were mostly resting. A minimal crew kept the boilers at temperature—maintaining a steady position, heat for the residential sections, and power to the mechanicals.

The three girls dressed as boys clattered in and through the relative quiet without raising any suspicion. Even if two of them looked like an operatic take on bull-herding Spaniards.

Sophronia hoped Soap was also asleep; somehow she knew he’d be difficult if he found out what she was up to.

“Crikey, don’t you two look as fancy as fleas’ eyebrows!” said Soap, appearing behind her.

“Yes, well, it’s necessary.” Sophronia was short with her friend.

“Necessary? Those trousers are awful tight.” Soap’s eyes were wide. “Not that you don’t fill them out right, miss.” He lost his train of thought. “Oh, blast it.”

Sophronia came to his rescue. “We need to be able to cast doubt on a third party, in case we’re caught.”

“Caught doing what, exactly?” Soap demanded.

Vieve, little blabbermouth, answered him brightly, “Infiltrating a hive house.”

Soap’s dark eyes went worried. “Miss, is that a good idea?”