The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo (Victorian Rebels, #6)(37)

As she dragged her lame foot upon lush red carpets, she wondered if this was what Pierre Aronnax felt whilst exploring the Nautilus. Flabbergasted, terrified, and more than a little impressed.

There was no time to dawdle, or explore, she reminded herself. She had to find Veronica.

Where had Moncrieff said he’d stash her? The blue room? That could be anywhere.

Dim electric lights reflected off the ambient mist stealing through the hall like a wary dream.

Lorelai searched what little her panicked memory had stored from her abduction. The captain’s quarters from which she disembarked were located off the main deck below the open aft deck. The luxurious accommodations took up the entire rear of the ship on this level, which was why it had so many portholes and windows from which to enjoy the view. She stood at the end of a hall that had four doors, spaced evenly apart, two on the right and two on the left.

If her guess was correct, these were also accommodations for officers or important guests.

It would be folly to make much noise, as whomever the Rook chose as his officers had to be almost as unprincipled and ruthless as he.

As she crept up the hall, Lorelai found the last door on the right had been bolted, from the outside.

What were the chances that the Rook kept prisoners other than her and Veronica anywhere else but the ship’s hold way below deck?

Truthfully, she had no way of knowing, but anyone she found that wasn’t Veronica could become a potential ally. All to the good, in her estimation.

As silently as she could, she slid the bolt free and unlatched the door, revealing blue carpet that she took to be a fantastic sign.

Opening the door all the way, she called in a loud whisper, “Veronica?”

She almost dropped the pistol to devastating effect as the heavy candelabra Veronica swung stopped inches away from denting her temple.

“L-Lorelai?” They collapsed into each other’s arms. The younger woman shook with the effort not to dissolve into sobs, still clutching the makeshift weapon. “I thought you were—that he—oh God! Your dress! Are you all right?”

Lorelai pulled back, pressing a finger to her lips. “I’m fine, darling. For now. Listen to me. We haven’t much time. If we’re to get out of this, our best chance is on a lifeboat. Do you remember seeing them? Do you know where they are or how to release them?”

Veronica was shaking her head, her pale features ghostly in the eerie mists. “This is a faster steamship than I’ve ever encountered,” she whispered. “And we’ve been aboard for several hours. We could be anywhere by now.” She paused, peering past Lorelai into the corridor. “Wait.” She ventured forward, slipped into the hall and rounded the corner.

“What are you doing?” Lorelai caught up with her, and linked their arms so they could cling together.

“There are many kinds of fog.” Veronica sagely pointed toward the open passage door to the deck completely concealed by thick wisps of mist. “This kind only gathers near land. If we get to the lifeboats and row far enough away from this ship and out of the clouds, we might have a chance.”

Lorelai squeezed her, blessing all the gods she could think of for the clever woman and her merchant-class knowledge.

“It’s better than being stuck here, I think.”

Veronica nodded her agreement.

They crept to the door expecting an army of pirates to stop them at any time. The ship remained eerily quiet but for the constant sounds of the engine.

“The lifeboats are just beyond the galley, secured below the deck.” Veronica pointed to their left. “We’ll have to crawl down a ladder on the outside of the ship. Once we reach it, we’ll have little time as the wheelhouse will most definitely be manned by a navigator and he’ll likely see us if the mist dissipates even a little.”

“Do you think we could incapacitate the navigator without killing him?” Lorelai pointed to the candelabra.

“If we’re lucky.” Veronica didn’t look hopeful. “Let’s just hope we remain concealed.” They ducked below the windows of the galley and made their way along the deck, feeling for the rails of a ladder that would lower them to the lifeboats.

Veronica stopped so abruptly, Lorelai narrowly avoided bowling her over. Her hand reached back and gripped Lorelai’s, leading it to the cold iron curve of a hang ladder.

“The lifeboats hang two decks above the water,” Veronica breathed against her ear. “Since there’s no one on deck to help, we’ll need to release the ropes at exactly the same time for the boat to land and not dump us into the sea. Do you understand? We … we might be a bit injured in the fall.”

Heart pounding, mouth dry, Lorelai nodded her under standing as she clung to her dearest friend. “It’s the only way. You go first.”

Veronica gathered her skirts and tucked them into her waist. Lorelai reached for her, readying to secure her so she could lift her leg up and over the high rail of the deck.

“Do you think you’ll be able to climb down the ladder with your ankle?” Veronica asked. A worried frown pinched her brow.

In truth, Lorelai didn’t know. “I’ll have to,” she decided.

“Oi! Don’t move, you daft nanny.” A familiar, grizzled voice broke through the mist back toward the overhang of the galley. “If you don’t cooperate, I’ll be forced to hobble you.”