by O. M. Grey
“Good evening, sir,” a man dressed in uniform said as I approached the ramp. He had gold braids hanging from each shoulder and three golden buttons lining each cuff. He wore a baldric stretched across the front of his double-breasted brown uniform from one shoulder to the other hip. It contained all sorts of tools kept in special-made loops and pouches for easy access. Ten golden buttons down each seam fastened the smart uniform beneath his black leather baldric. He had to be part of the ship’s crew.
The area all around the ship was roped off and constables were stationed every ten yards or so to keep ruffians out.
“Yes. It is a good evening, good sir. Permission to come aboard,” I replied, smiling. After all, I had been on a ship or two in my time, even if they had been the kind that floated rather than flew.
“Of course, sir, but I must see your invitation.”
“By all means,” I said, reaching into my inner pocket and producing the gold leaf, embossed invitation.
“Thank you, sir. Once on board, please make yourself at home. There are complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres on the second deck and the views from the top deck are quite breathtaking.”
I tipped my hat to him and proceeded up the long ramp to the ship. The ship itself was golden in color, which just served to increase its majesty. Suspended above it with countless ropes was a huge balloon that seemed twice the size of the vessel. It extended slightly past the bow and stern and over either side, and it was at least three times as high as the ship to which it was tied. The ramp led up onto the hull’s lowest deck, near the front of the ship. It was made mostly of wood painted gold with brass accents around the port holes and edges. Aft of the ramp on the outside of the ship, a great propeller powered by a steam engine hung suspended from a massive wooden arm. I remembered seeing this on both sides of the ship from afar when it was airborne, along with an additional three propellers in the very back of the ship. The huge propeller in the center and two smaller ones on either side had to be how the ship was steered in the air. They all looked much more impressive and quite colossal once one got closer.
It boggled the mind!
As I stepped into the main part of the ship, my eyes were further amazed. Directly in front of me was a grand staircase, similar to that which I ascended last evening with my tasty treat. The interior was made with the finest materials and adornments. It was a wonder they allowed commoners on this boat. They must have had a dedicated crew to keep a watchful eye during those daytime tours. The room in which this staircase began was rather small, considering, and all the guests were being ushered upstairs. I ascended the steps, pleasantly reminiscent of last night, onto the next deck. This was, again, only the front half of the ship. The entire aft of the ship had to be the mechanics of the thing. This middle deck was a large ballroom. A string quartet played in the corner and couples were already swirling across the floor to the music. A buffet table full of the finest meats, cheeses, fruits, and breads lined the far wall. Formally dressed waiters wandered the room offering goodies to the wallflowers and refilling their wine glasses.
After ascending a second, less ornate staircase, I reached the uppermost deck, open to the night. The stars and moon were all obscured by the massive balloon overhead, but the view of the park from this height was already amazing. This deck was quite roomier, set aside for the use of guests, although a good third of the aft portion was reserved for what I could only assume to be the control room. More waiters dressed in black dinner jackets wove between the astonished guests offering snacks and drink.
The airship captain stood on the bow with his hands on his hips, looking the part perfectly.
His long scarf blew in the wind and his goggles were set just above his eyebrows. Around the edge of one lens, an arm protruded about an inch with three distinct separate glass discs attached at the end of additional arms. Each could rotate over the lens individually or together. It was brilliant. It acted as if one had a telescope and magnifying glass all in one device and all hands-free.
“Cap’n!” I heard a small voice from behind me call. “Cap’n! Cap’n!”
The impressive man turned around. His nose was significant, yet proportionate on his strong face. He wore friendly mutton chops down the sides that quite suited him.
“Cap’n!”
“Yes, boy. What is it?” The captain replied.
“Getting a strange reading on the pressure valve, sir.”
“Which one?”
“Behind the intake cylinder.”
“That one again? Where’s Williams? He’s the Chief Engineer after all.”
“Um,” the boy said with a sideways glance at me.
“Nevermind, I’ll have a look at it presently, lad. Call the all aboard. We’ll be lifting off presently.”
“Aye, aye, Cap’n,” the lad said with a quick salute.
“Get some coffee in Williams,” the captain added as he strode past me. He moved with assurance and confidence. Ever commanding, which was appropriate for the captain of a ship.
The boy trotted behind him, his gait revealing just the opposite.
“Aye, aye” I heard the boy reply just as they approached the control room.
“Arthur!” I heard to my left. I turned to see Hazel, Eliza, and Emily along with another woman whose back was turned to me, as she was looking over the side of the ship. She was exquisitely dressed in a deep burgundy jacket accented with golden stripes. Its tails split over a black skirt with a nice fluffy bustle. A tiny top hat was perched on the side of her jet black hair.
The other ladies were dressed in pastels, my least favorite. I preferred dark colors. Emily was in pale yellow, not ever attractive, but ultimately better than that bright lemon ensemble she had worn this afternoon. Eliza was in pink and Hazel wore a sky blue. Emily was waving her pale yellow handkerchief wildly at me, demanding that I gave her my full attention.
“Ladies,” I said bowing.
“Oh, Arthur! Isn’t it amazing?” Emily exclaimed, indicating the entire ship with a grand gesture, demonstrating that she was as impressive as the dirigible.
“It is indeed.”
The woman who had been looking over the side turned around, and I nearly fell over. It was Catherine. Everything was the same! Only instead of red hair, it was a jet black, coiffed in perfect curls. Every single detail of her face was Catherine. The small, gentle eyes. The round nose. The quaint but full lips that formed a perfect tiny “o,” barely larger than the head of a pin, in the exact center when held together. The shape of her jaw. The curve of her cheek. The alabaster skin with just the slightest hint of olive. It was my Catherine returned to me.
“Allow me to introduce my niece, Arthur,” Lady Bainbridge said, interrupting my thoughts.
“This is Avalon. Avalon, may I present Lord York.”
I must’ve taken too long to answer, just staring at Avalon in a daze for a few moments, as the other two ladies were looking crossly at me. I gathered my wits quickly.
“Forgive me, dear lady,” I said as I took Avalon’s proffered hand and kissed it. “Forgive my reaction, but one does not often see beauty such as yours.”
Avalon curtsied properly as I kissed her hand, but the expression on her face was not one of a flattered, or even an embarrassed, woman. She looked positively at peace, almost bored, as if she was used to such flattery and compliment, but she wasn’t, judging from the way Lady Bainbridge had spoken about her. I’d bet she just didn’t care about such things.
“Avalon? Beautiful? Well, my dear,” Lady Bainbridge said to her niece, snapping open her fan with annoyance, “I do believe this is a first. You must thank my maid upon our return. She did work a miracle tonight.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Lord York,” Avalon said, ignoring her aunt’s quip. She withdrew her black lace-gloved hand out of mine with polite determination, for in my awe, I had held on to it far longer than politeness allowed.
“Please, call me Arthur,” I said, bowing. I was treating this woman like a que
en, for she was a queen to me. My queen.
“Yes. Please! Call him Arthur. We all do,” Emily Bainbridge said, fanning herself wildly.
“Dear Emily,” I said, turning my attention to her, for she was obviously slighted, “You are looking especially lovely yourself this evening. I, of course, was prepared for your loveliness, as I had the pleasure of making your acquaintance earlier this day.”
This seemed to pacify her for the moment, as she closed her fan before playfully batting me on the shoulder with it, and smiled sweetly at me.
“I will be the envy of tonight’s gala! I’m surrounded by the loveliest ladies in all of London,”
I announced a little loudly, arms spread wide.
Hazel Hamilton giggled at this. “Oh, sir. How you flatter.” She blushed.
“It is not flattery, dear lady. I speak only truth,” I said, tilting my head and nodding with the pretense of respect.
“Come dear,” Lady Pearson finally spoke, “we must find our husbands. Arthur, as always, it’s been a pleasure.”
“Dear Eliza, the pleasure is always mine,” I replied bowing deeper to her.
Lady Pearson and Lady Hamilton turned to leave, which left me alone with Emily Bainbridge and her stunning niece Avalon.
“Isn’t this simply amazing, Arthur?” Lady Bainbridge asked as she slipped her arm inside mine. She would be no challenge at all to seduce. Rather, the challenge would be to keep her at bay without offending her. Such thoughts entered my mind out of habit, as my interest in Emily or Hazel had abandoned ship the moment I saw Avalon. My attention turned fully to her. My Catherine.
“It is quite, wouldn’t you say so Miss Avalon?”
“Quite.” Avalon’s blatant disregard of polite conversation or high society in any form was evident. The dirigible alone held her interest.
I continued, “I had only seen these contraptions from afar, which were impressive enough, but I am quite without words to describe this experience. And we haven’t even lifted off the ground yet!”
Emily Bainbridge was certainly not without words, for she chimed right in, tightening her grip on my arm. “I was entirely taken in by the luxury of the thing. That ballroom on the lower deck was simply magnificent; as fine as any I’ve had the pleasure of dancing in. Oh, Arthur, you must save a dance for me.” She tugged on my arm playfully, trying to pry my attention away from the goddess before me.
“But of course, Lady Bainbridge,” I replied, not taking my eyes off Avalon. I hoped by using her formal title, she’d take the hint and back off a little. She did not. Instead she squeezed my arm against her breast and laid her head on my shoulder momentarily before continuing:
“How do they ever get such a ship in the air? Did you know that this is the finest airship in London? I’m quite surprised they allow commoners on it at all!”
“Many commoners, as you call them, are fine people,” Avalon interjected at last. “They are hardworking, decent people, Aunt. You would do well to remember that.”
This one had spunk.
“Indeed,” I replied. I felt Emily’s grip on my arm tighten, so I changed the subject. “Miss Avalon, do tell me about your unusual name. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone named Avalon.”
Avalon didn’t turn away from looking out over the side of the ship, far in the distance. Her hands were clasped properly in front, grasping a small, gold reticule. She behaved as I’ve often felt, just barely able to stomach such pointless small talk. She wasn’t here to socialize or flirt or boast about riches. She was different. She was here for the dirigible. She was here for the experience. She cared more about the brass cogs that powered this ship than of all the gold of the crown.
“Well, sir, isn’t it obvious? My father was obsessed with the Arthurian Legend. No, actually, obsessed would be an understatement. Nevertheless, it’s as simple as that. It is unusual, but it’s certainly better than being called Morgana or Guinevere!”
What a delightful lady!
“We have something in common, dear lady.”
She finally turned to face me, slightly intrigued.
“My father, too, was obsessed, as you say, with the Arthurian Legend. It is why he called me Arthur.” I didn’t mention that his intention had been for me to be Arthur II of England. That I alone had been meant to bring the dream of Avalon back to Britain. And here instead, Avalon came to me.
For the first time in as long as I could remember, I wanted to forget the past forever. Forget about my father. Forget about the centuries of decadence. Forget about the dream of Arthur’s Avalon and focus on the reality of my new-found Avalon. Forget all the ways of seduction I had learned, and just be with this woman. Just listen to her talk. Get lost in her thoughts. Something about this woman captivated me, and I couldn’t explain it. Some deep connection. Something more than lust, although that, too, was present. It was a feeling that I had felt before, centuries ago.
“Yes, Arthur. That, too, is obvious and not all that uncommon. Many people enjoy the tales of Arthur and his knights.”
She wasn’t going to give me an inch.
Chapter 4
A horrible grinding sound filled the air, causing all the attendees to look towards the control room at once. Lady Bainbridge tightened her grasp on my arm, and I didn’t think it could get any tighter. If I had circulation, she would have cut it off.
To the right of the control room, situated at the far end of the deck behind some velvet cords making it clear that passengers were to keep out, three huge toothed metal wheels were turning.
The teeth of each fitting perfectly with the next. The largest gear, twice the height of Thomas, disappeared into the wooden floor, causing me to believe there were many more such gears and machinery beneath the deck. Steam escaped from below and wafted up between the turning cogs, hiding them from view momentarily. The grinding subsided as the gears got up to speed, and now a more gentle whirring sound took its place.
“Thank goodness,” Lady Bainbridge sighed with a dramatic gesture to her chest, as if checking to see if her heart was still beating. “I thought we would be forced to bear that horrendous sound throughout the gala. How is one to dance with such a racket?”
“Indeed,” Avalon said in a tone that mirrored my hidden reaction to Emily’s inane comment, then turned back towards the edge of the deck. As she did, I caught a glimpse of a small mechanism affixed to her ear. It was mostly covered by her delicate, sable curls, but the wind caught her hair just enough for me to see it momentarily. It had similar gears as the ship but was very small, as the entire tiny thing sat on top of her ear, held there by a singular hinged arm that hooked over the top ridge. I couldn’t imagine what it was. I certainly must begin paying closer attention to this modern technology, for things are changing far too quickly these days.
“I think we shall be lifting off soon,” I said with most of my attention towards Avalon’s unique beauty. “Wouldn’t you say Lady Bainbridge?” She didn’t correct my formality but rather loosened her grip on my arm.
“And it is about time, too,” Emily said coldly. “If you would please excuse me Lord York, Avalon. I do think I see Lord Grimshaw over there, and my husband will be quite cross with me when I return home if I were not to socialize with his favorite investor.”
“Of course, Lady Bainbridge. As always, it’s been a pleasure,” I said, kissing her hand.
“Quite.” She didn’t curtsy. Instead, she whipped her skirts around and strode scornfully away.
I imagined Emily was the kind of woman that took cruelty much easier than disregard. Still, not irreparable damage, I’d surmise.
“Do save me that dance,” I said to her, amused, as she walked away. She didn’t turn back.
Now I was alone with Avalon, which was exactly where I wanted to be. We stood for several moments in silence. She obviously didn’t have the same need as her Aunt to fill every moment with prattle. A good sign. I looked over the side with her, taking in the entire experience of standing next to the wom
an who was so much like my Catherine, and at the same time so little like her.
All the ropes that were holding the ship steady and near the ground were tied off to large stakes hammered into the ground. More like logs, really. By each of the stakes stood men with hatchets, awaiting orders. These men were not dressed in the fancy double-breasted, gold-buttoned brown coat uniform of the ticket taker, however. These men were working class, dressed in dungarees and boots. Well disciplined, though. For each man did not budge, and they all stood in the exact same stance. Feet shoulder width apart. Hatchet held across the torso at the exact angle as the rest. They stood perfectly still, not even their bushy mustaches twitched.
“May I have your attention, please,” a strong voice said from the direction of the control room. It was the captain yelling through a speaking-trumpet. His goggles were now over his eyes. “My name is Captain McAdams, and we will be lifting off shortly. I do need five volunteers to help us with lift off. Five men, preferably.”
He didn’t wait for volunteers. He chose five men around the edges of the ship by pointing at each, including me.
“You, you, you, you, and you,” Captain McAdams said. “You five, notice where you are standing over the side of the ship are hanging several large bags of sand. On my mark, you will grasp the rope securing them, and give it a strong pull. This will release the bags. ON MY
MARK,” he shouted at a young man who had already started to tug. “It’s very important that this is done together or the ship could become compromised. Ready?”
I grasped the rope, careful not to pull it yet, and turned my attention back to the captain.
Avalon looked on with great interest. I was suddenly very glad the captain chose me.
The captain looked toward the back of the ship, behind the cogs, where some of his crew were doing the same thing as we were. Once satisfied everyone was in place and ready to work together, he continued.
“Ready. On three. One. Two. Three,” Captain McAdams said.
I tugged with what I made look like all my strength, but it really took no effort whatsoever on my part. The knot slipped, and Avalon and I watched the sand bags fall stories to the ground with a thud. Just then, the several men with hatchets raised them into the air, moving in rehearsed unison. With the command of “NOW” from someone below, they all brought down the hatchets together, severing the rope in one stroke. With a jolt, that nearly toppled Avalon into my arms, we were lifting off.