Rebel Magisters (Rebel Mechanics #2)(29)
“That’s why I think it would be great to have airships that travel just above the ground. No bumps, but you can still see out. I wonder why no one’s done that yet.”
“Perhaps you’ll be the one to invent it. But first, before you forget any details, I’d like you to write an essay about what you learned on your tour of the ship today. I’ll save your school assignments for tomorrow.”
I expected him to protest, as he usually did any schoolwork, but he pulled out a notebook without complaint. “Good idea, Miss Newton. I don’t want to forget any of it.” I left him leaning over his notebook, his pen flying and his tongue sticking out from between his teeth as he concentrated intently.
I ran into Henry in the hallway outside. “Ah, Miss Newton, just the person I wanted to see,” he said. “They’ve given you this room down the hall as a schoolroom.” He escorted me to a sunny corner room that must have once been a playroom for little girls. I imagined the Lyndon children’s late mother and their aunt, Lady Elinor, playing on the rocking horse and practicing the piano on the spinet in the corner.
Once we were in the room, he dropped his voice and said, “I’m afraid the governor is being conventional about dinner arrangements. You and the younger children will have an early meal in the nursery.”
“I know. The maid told me. By the way, she’s with the Mechanics.”
He raised an eyebrow. “That’s interesting. They got someone into the governor’s house?”
“Apparently. She was just hired for our visit.”
“I’ll tell Olive and Rollo about dinner. Olive is bound to be disappointed, and I don’t want you to have to be the bearer of bad news. I’m not sure Rollo will care.” He smiled and added, “And I will have no one to talk to.”
We were standing close together so we could speak without being overheard, and I knew that if we were seen like this, our relationship surely would be misunderstood. I wanted to take a step backward, but I couldn’t bring myself to do so.
“I hope your dinner doesn’t last too long,” I said. “We’ve been invited to a gathering tonight.”
“The local Mechanics?”
“Indeed. And you were specifically included in the invitation. Twice, now that I think about it.”
“Do you know where or when?”
“The maid said she’ll take care of that.”
His lips twitched into a lopsided smile. “Well, now, sneaking out with the governess and a maid my first night in Boston. It’s a pity I didn’t choose ‘incorrigible playboy’ as my cover persona.”
Chapter Eight
In Which
We Are Put to
the Test
Mary brought tea to me at the appointed hour. She set the tray on the nightstand and poured into a pretty blue-and-white china teacup from a matching pot. “There ye are, miss,” she said, handing the cup to me. “What did your Lord Henry have to say about tonight?”
“He accepts your invitation.”
She beamed as she dropped a sugar cube into my cup. “It’s good to hear that.”
“You said you had a way to get us out of the house?”
“Aye, leave that to me. I’ll come get you when they’re through with dinner and it looks safe.”
“What kind of gathering is it? How should I dress?”
“It’s no big, fancy party, that’s for certain. Dress plain.”
A glance down at my simple gray day dress made me smile. I’d have to go out of my way not to dress plainly. She left me alone with my tea, and I tried to force myself to relax. Mary obviously had things under control, so I had nothing to worry about in sneaking out of the house. I had no real agenda for the meeting other than getting acquainted, so there was no mission to succeed or fail. If the Boston Mechanics were anything like my New York friends, it would be more of a party than a real meeting, and that was something I realized I sorely needed. Aside from the recent show and party, my social life had disappeared with the rebel machines.
That evening at dinner, I was glad that I wasn’t dining with the adults because it was a lot easier to hide my eagerness. Olive and Rollo were so excited about the day’s voyage and being in a new place that they didn’t seem to notice anything odd about my behavior. My bearing might have drawn more attention among the adults.
It was worse when dinner was finished and I’d seen Olive to bed, because then I had nothing to do but wait. I tried reading, but barely registered the words. I jotted a few notes about the airship voyage and the Boston house, but I didn’t have enough information to make it into an article.
When Mary tapped lightly on my door, I jumped in shock, barely stifling a scream. This was no way for an experienced operative to behave, I told myself firmly as I forced my breathing to return to normal.
Mary grinned as she eased her way into my room, but whether she was amused by my reaction or by something else, I wasn’t sure. “Shouldn’t be long now, miss,” she said. “Your Lord Henry was forced to join the governor for port and cigars after dinner, but he declined the cigar. He was out of there within half an hour.”
“They don’t have much to talk about without arguing,” I said, trying not to smile as I imagined the awkward scene. I wasn’t sure which of them would have hated it the most.