Quicksilver Soul

by Christine d'Abo

  It was true that the duke would have evaluated and dismissed Miss Tesla the moment he heard her speak. While clearly intelligent, she wasn’t at all the proper young woman that would integrate neatly into his father’s world. Emmet liked to think he was far more enlightened than the rest of his family, but perhaps the apple truly didn’t fall far from the tree. Yet another trait he’d need to improve upon.

  “I’ve renounced most of my blue-blood ways. I can assure you if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be in my current position.”

  “Trapped in a hellishly small conduit with precious little light and next to no fresh air?”

  “No. Alone with a woman.”

  She snorted. “Oh. That. One quickly forgets about propriety when dealing with minus thirty degree centigrade temperatures and forced to huddle together with the closest body for warmth.”

  “Centigrade?”

  “Sorry, we started using the metric system at the HBC. More accurate and one of the few good things the French have given us. That’s negative twenty-two.” Reaching up behind a pipe, Tesla scrunched her face up in concentration while she fiddled with something. “Now that dial shouldn’t be set to that. I’m surprised you haven’t been blown up.”

  “Are you supposed to be touching that?”

  Her lips curled up into a grin. “There we go. Now I just need to recalibrate the flux capacitor… and I really should update your regulatory system. I have a new electrical current system that would really do wonders for this place.”

  Nicola pulled back and began to hammer on one of the smaller pipes. Either because of the blow to his head or the dim lighting of the place, Emmet couldn’t help but think she was really quite lovely to look at. If only her personality wasn’t so manic he’d consider forming an arrangement with her while she was visiting the Archives. Not that a sexual relationship would be condoned officially, but he got the impression that Miss Tesla didn’t abide by convention.

  “Miss Tesla, are you nearly finished? I would suggest we return to the main—”

  “Ah ha! I knew there was a malfunction in the pathway.”

  “Miss Tesla, I really much insist that you—”

  “All I need to do is this and we should be all—” A loud echo shook the pipes around them, which was quickly followed by an ear-splitting hiss of steam.

  “Duck!” She wiggled herself away from the pipe and threw her body across Emmet’s, sending them both crashing to the floor. The air was knocked from his lungs and the weight of her body made it difficult to breathe once more. His headlamp fell from his head, landing a short distance away to cast a light diagonally above him.

  Before he could protest his further abuse, an explosion of steam shot above their bodies. Tesla pressed her face to his neck and stretched her arms and legs as wide and as flat as she could go. The result was having the entirety of her lithe frame pressed across his torso. Emmet held his breath, trying not to notice how perfectly her body fit against his, how her scent was a mixture of something floral with grease. It made for a strange combination. It took him every effort not to reach up and wrap his arms around her.

  When the air finally cleared of steam and Telsa lifted her face, he got a good look at her features. Her short hair was dark brown, presenting an interesting contrast to her crystal blue eyes. Her complexion wasn’t as fair as his friend Piper’s, nor was her face as rounded. Miss Tesla’s chin came down to a point that highlighted her square jaw. She wasn’t pretty by the societal conventions of the day. Then again, Emmet rarely paid society much mind.

  If he were forced to put her into a box, as she’d accused him of doing, he’d call her striking.

  She grinned down at him, got up onto her hands and knees, and held out her hand. “I believe full body contact now qualifies us to be on a first name basis. At least while we are still in danger of being steamed alive. Nicola.”

  He had to give her credit, she possessed a sense of humor, albeit a slightly twisted one. Taking her hand, he gave it a gentle squeeze. “Emmet.”

  “Well, Emmet. I’ve managed to unblock the heat exchange pipe that was preventing the steam from flowing fully to the drive. Now I will be able to begin the reconstruction of the fans and get your vaults up and running once more.”

  It had been years since he’d been with a woman in any meaningful way. Members of the Archivist Guild were forbidden to have relationships before they were cleared for active duty. After that, opportunities were limited. Who wanted to engage in a sexual relationship with a zombie? This left only the occasional tryst with another archivist, and that rarely went well. Their lives weren’t conducive to relationships, Piper and Samuel being a notable exception.

  So, finding himself on his back, an attractive woman straddling his body in such a way that he was able to see the swell of her breasts from the plunging neckline of her vest, made his body turn traitor. Widening his legs to press his thighs to the inside of hers drew a smirk from her. Dammit. Shifting once more to decrease the contact, Emmet pushed the amorous thoughts from his mind.

  “Miss Tesla—”

  “Nicola.”

  God preserve him. “Nicola. Might we now return to the vaults? I’m afraid my body is unable to suffer from any further abuse.” Nor would he be able to maintain the illusion of being a gentleman much longer.

  “Of course. I wouldn’t expect an archivist to be able to deal with these conditions for long.” With a smirk, she swung her leg over his body and deftly climbed past him toward the exit.

  He couldn’t move. Not because he was physically unable, but he wasn’t certain he could withstand another assault from the force that was Nicola Tesla. Perhaps if he hid here long enough someone else would take this task from him? No, the Administrators had made it clear this was his duty. Plus, it wouldn’t do to stay lying on the floor in the dust and muck. The walls would begin to close in around him before long, robbing him of breath.

  And Lord only knew the trouble this woman would get up to without his presence.

  The return journey back to the vaults was slower, if more direct. Emerging from the darkness and out into the cavernous space lifted the growing weight from Emmet’s chest. He’d never been fond of enclosed spaces, but he refused to let them get the better of him. As he maneuvered his body from the opening, finally able to rise to his full height, Emmet knew he’d taken too long.

  Nicola and Master Tolan were standing face to face next to the small antechamber off the vault area. The Master was ramrod straight, his finger in her face. Emmet didn’t need to hear the words to know the Elder was unleashing a verbal lashing that had the ability to make grown men weep. Nicola simply nodded, her hands laced behind her back and that little smirk of hers fixed on her face. Her clear disregard for the Guild Master would only serve to further infuriate the Elder, making the situation far worse than it needed to be.

  Emmet wasn’t certain which one of them he’d be rescuing, but it was clear he needed to intervene. Ignoring the throbbing in his head that had grown into a pounding, he limped over. A fresh trickle of blood rolled down his leg as he went.

  “And if I catch you down here tinkering with my equipment alone, I will have your head wiped and your body tossed onto the next ship back to wherever the hell you came from.” Tolan pulled in a deep breath, preparing himself for another round of yelling.

  Stepping beside Nicola, ignoring how she was nearly as tall as himself, Emmet held up his hand and prayed the Guild Master would not make this any more difficult than it already was. “Master Tolan, if I may. I believe Miss Tesla has managed to fix a significant concern. Am I correct in that assessment?”

  “You are, Mr. Dennison. I was about to inform your colleague that I have accomplished all I am able this day.”

  “He is not my colleague.” Master Tolan narrowed his gaze. “He’s barely more than a child.”

  Now free from their confined location, Emmet was able to fully appreciate the way her chin-length brown hair caressed her cheeks. There was no hiding that m
ischievous glint in her eyes either, which Emmet knew would only further infuriate Tolan.

  “Have you been shown to your quarters? I would be more than happy to escort you.” Keeping her safe would prove more of a challenge than he’d first anticipated. If there was an opportunity to lock her up somewhere, a cell perhaps, Emmet would take it.

  Nicola turned to face Emmet, clearly dismissing Master Tolan and his rant. “While I appreciate the sentiment, the Hudson’s Bay Company has secured rooms for me at the George Inn. I shall find transportation there and will return to work first thing in the morning.”

  Wonderful. How was he going to keep her in his protection until such a time as the Administrators were convinced there was no threat to her? “But Miss Tesla, I assume this is your first time in New London. Surely your employers will grant you a brief respite from your daily duties and allow you to enjoy some of the joys our city has to offer. Dinner, perhaps? I would be pleased to show you around before escorting you to the inn.”

  As far as distractions went, this one was obvious. Still, Emmet was relieved when she cocked her head and eventually nodded. “I must admit, I’ve been curious about the city. Since I left my parents and moved from the Austrian Empire to Canada, I’ve missed certain fundamentals that society can offer.” She threw Emmet a wink that even Master Tolan would have seen. “Perhaps an evening meal with tolerable company is the perfect start to my adventure here.”

  Without waiting for Emmet, Nicola marched over to the table in the annex room and reemerged with a long leather greatcoat. The myriad of pockets would have been sufficient to conceal any number of weapons, tools, and devices. Slipping it on, and pulling a leather newsboy’s cap from the side pocket, Nicola grinned at him once more. “Shall we?”

  “I would wish you the best, Dennison,” Master Tolan muttered. “But I expect you to do your duty properly.”

  “Of course, Elder. I would never do anything to bring shame to the Archives.” Bastard. Emmet retrieved his own greatcoat and topper and strode after the infuriating woman.

  Nicola stood at the door to the lift, hands secured behind her back and leaning in to inspect the control panel. “This should be upgraded. We haven’t used glass tubes to indicate pressure levels in at least a decade. I have a few extra diodes I can install to improve the efficiency. It would greatly increase the speed of the lifts as well. As soon as I’m done repairing the central machine, I’ll tinker around a bit.”

  “I would suggest mentioning it to the Guild Masters council first, but I fear they’d do you bodily harm at this point.”

  Her snort was unladylike and slightly reminiscent of Piper. “Then they are old-minded fools. No wonder this place is falling down around them. They are unwilling to bring the Archives into the nineteenth century.”

  The lift door slid open and Emmet waved Nicola in before him. With the bulk of her leather coat draped around her, he wasn’t able to catch a glimpse of her body. A shame, given how striking she was.

  “If you don’t mind, I would prefer to change my trousers before I take you about the city.” With a pointed look down, Emmet knew there was little chance of saving them. “The establishment I hoped to take you to frowns upon exposed flesh wounds.”

  “Of course. I’ll wait for you in the foyer—”

  “No.”

  Nicola blinked, the first indication that he’d actually been able to catch her off guard. “Pardon?”

  “It seems in your short tenure here you’ve already managed to annoy not only the Guild Masters, but also the Administrators. While I know you can’t appreciate the full meaning of that, trust me, it’s not a positive thing. You are to stick by my side while you are in the Archives, which means coming with me to my quarters.”

  Emmet was certain not even the Administrators would have forced him to bring Nicola with him in this instance, but he’d enjoyed watching the blush cross her fair cheeks. It made her already startling blue eyes all the more stunning. Yes, this was a woman he’d enjoy teasing. It would at least make his assignment more enjoyable.

  “I see.” As quickly as her discomfort arose, it was gone. “I believe it’s only fair to warn you that I have no interest in men. It see your lot as a distraction from my inventions, my science. If you’re trying to seduce me, then it will all be for nothing.”

  They switched lifts and Emmet pressed the button for the residential level. “I appreciate the warning.” Did she not understand that such a statement was practically begging for a man to take her up on the challenge? It poked at a primal part of his brain that he did his best to deny. Take. Own. Mine. He knew others who wouldn’t be able to resist such temptation.

  The lift jerked to a halt, causing Nicola to lean in again, muttering something about bearings and balance, before she finally followed him into the hall. She stopped only long enough to take in her surroundings before falling into step beside him. “Well, this is pleasant.”

  Emmet looked up at the large stone walls, lined with steam pipes and dotted with the flickering lamps that provided minimal light to the interior of the building. “It’s better than some guilds.”

  “In Canada the Company started its organization in a fort. They’ve since gone on to build several estates in which they conduct their business, our research… and other things. I have a fireplace in my room. It’s quite cheery.”

  “And cold.” He’d heard about some of the conditions in the new lands. He shivered. “I’ve heard reports that the snow can reach up to a man’s waist during a storm.”

  “You get used to it.”

  Emmet led her to the end of the hall and stopped in front of the door to his quarters. “Can I trust you to wait here?”

  Nicola grinned, rising onto the tips of her toes as she gawked at the various steam lamps and their housings that lined the hallway. “Of course.”

  Dear God. “Never mind.” He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her behind him into his rooms. “Stand here.”

  “Would you like me to face the wall? I can at least do that much, to protect your modesty.”

  Emmet growled. “You’re the one who claims to have no interest in men. With such a liberal state of mind, you should have no problem with my state of undress.” Tossing his greatcoat to the bed, he loosened his belt and let his torn trousers fall to the floor. “I will only be a moment.”

  Ignoring her as best he could, Emmet retrieved a fresh pair from his modest chest of drawers. His father would have a fit if he saw the conditions that Emmet lived in. Though they were far more comfortable than those of his fellow archivists—he’d received special permission to bring along several pieces of furniture—Emmet lived in relative squalor compared to the rest of his family. He’d learned tricks to folding his own clothing to ensure wrinkles didn’t exist. If they got too bad, he could always hang them in front of a steam vent until they fell straight.

  That particular trick wasn’t necessary today as the trousers fell as they should before he pulled them on. Unrolling his sleeves, he took quick stock of the condition of his shirt. Soiled, but salvageable. He pulled it off and placed it in the clothing bin, before fetching another.

  “How long do you plan to stay in New London, Miss Tesla?”

  “It’s Nicola.” There was a waver to her voice. “The Company had intended on me being here at least a month. I suspect it will take me longer than that to effect the repairs.”

  Emmet turned back to face her. “More than a month?” God, would he need to nursemaid her the entire time? “Can you request assistance to speed up the process?”

  It took him a moment to realize she was no longer looking directly at him. And the blush on her cheeks had darkened. She’d picked up a tiny bird automaton that Piper had sent him several weeks ago and was studiously examining the underbelly. Well, well. It seemed Miss Tesla wasn’t as unaffected as she wanted him to believe.

  “The Company didn’t have anyone else with my particular skill set that they could spare for the journey. However, there is a local
man I may need to enlist if things prove to be too challenging for me to complete alone.”

  Leaving the bulk of his opal-faced buttons undone, Emmet closed the distance between them. “You realize anyone you wish to bring in who isn’t an employee of the Company would need to be approved by the Guild Masters first?”

  He could feel her body heat rolling off her and detected the faintest scent of lilac beneath the oil and metal that clung to her. Emmet was a fool to believe he wouldn’t be interested in bedding this woman. Taking longer than he normally would to fasten his cufflinks, he kept his gaze locked on her.

  Nicola cleared her throat, pulled her shoulders back, and met his gaze evenly. “The man I have in mind is a Company man and will be more than acceptable to your Guild Masters. He’s currently… on leave, but still one of us. Once I’ve completed my assessment of the necessary work, I will contact him.”

  There was nothing Emmet admired more than strength of character in a woman. Except perhaps a perfect set of breasts. One day he’d need to determine if Miss Tesla’s fit into that particular category.

  “I believe I’m ready now. Would you like to stop by your rooms first so you can change as well?”

  She ran her fingers through the short strands of her hair and checked her face in his mirror. “Yes, the opportunity to freshen up would be appreciated. I would terrify onlookers.”

  There was a smudge of grease on the side of her jaw. Emmet walked over to the basin in his room and dampened a cloth with warm water before bringing it to her. It would have been easy enough to hand the cloth over, or give her a few moments of privacy to clean up before they left. Instead, he ran the damp fabric over the dust and dirt, cleaning away the evidence of her day’s work.

  “There you go.” His words sounded rough as he spoke. “That should do for now.”

  Nicola’s eyes had grown wide and her throat bobbed as she swallowed hard. “Thank you.”

  He cleared his throat and stepped back. “I’ll order a carriage for us. I wouldn’t recommend traveling by the iron walks this time of evening.”