Evie's Gift

by Piper J. Drake

  She sipped carefully, the cool bubbles refreshing against her suddenly dry throat.

  "I'd like to ask you more about the submarine, actually." Her stomach dropped. She didn't want to talk about it or her secret gift, and in a way, she was disappointed.

  Before she could reply, a crystal triangle chimed, drawing the attention of all of the guests.

  "Ladies and gentlemen." Lord Weatherly made a grand gesture towards the doors leading out to the gardens. "I've a unique entertainment planned for you all, if you will step out into the gardens."

  A speculative chatter rose up as the assembled moved in a wave towards the garden doors. Alec placed a hand at Evie's elbow, angling his body to keep her from being jostled. "I’ll escort you outside."

  "You needn't trouble yourself," she replied with a pert lift of her chin. "I'm sure Toby will be fine."

  What had gotten into her? He could see her delicate jaw set in a stubborn expression, those dark eyes sparking with a bit of temper.

  "With all due respect, Miss Dunn, you do require an escort." He wasn't about to let her wander into the press of people on her own. It was one thing to allow her to sit to the side as a wallflower and another to let her to wander outside into the gardens by herself. "As I see your brother is otherwise occupied, you'll have to tolerate me."

  Her plump lips pressed together in a thin line. He could see that she obviously wanted to stomp off on her own. Toby emitted a tiny whistle of steam, but she did stay at his side. "Funny you choose the word 'tolerate'."

  He set his teeth at her acidic tone. Plenty of other ladies would have welcomed his company, and she had seemed to enjoy their dance. Suddenly, she was utterly contrary. Jeffrey Dunn would have a devil of a time finding her a husband.

  They followed the rest of the guests out onto the broad balcony overlooking the gardens. As petite as Evie was, she had no chance of seeing over the shoulders of the other guests. Biting the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning, he led her to the far side of the balcony so she could have a clear view. As they reached the marble railing, she leaned out over the edge in a decidedly unladylike manner, craning her neck to see the entire display.

  Suppressing a sigh, he stood directly behind her, ready to catch her if she lost her balance.

  When invited to examine the impressive mechanicals more closely, several gentlemen ventured down the steps to have a look while every lady remained on the balcony. Of course, every lady but Evie. Her face fairly shining with curiosity, those dark eyes fastened on the mechanicals, she navigated through a few of the ladies and scampered down the steps. Alec followed her, amused yet again by her temerity and the appalled reactions from others she so blithely ignored.

  A high-pitched tone cut across the courtyard, so piercing everyone moved to cover their ears. Steam puffed from every joint of one mechanical and the upper torso shifted, the left arm reaching forward and the pincer opening. Guests scattered and the ladies screamed. Alec grabbed her by the shoulders, yanking her back and away from the moving machine.

  Inexplicably, the blasted thing turned towards them, taking one step and then another in ponderous pursuit. He cursed and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to one of the shrub-lined paths of the garden.

  Toby chittered in alarm, half transformed from ornament to squirrel. To her credit, she didn't scream hysterically or struggle. She ran with him, her hands full of her skirts as she tried not to trip and take them both down.

  "Damn," he muttered, hearing the mechanical in pursuit. It came faster once it gained some momentum. "Why doesn't Weatherly deactivate the thing?"

  He took a sharp left off the main path, bringing them up short in a tiny alcove. The shaded hideaway was perfect for a lover's tryst, but for Alec and Evie, it left them cornered by a runaway metallic monstrosity.

  Shoving her behind him, he reached for a wrought iron spear, wrestling it from the garden statue standing watch in the alcove. The mechanical rounded the corner in a cloud of steam accompanied by the sound of metal screeching against stone. It reached for them, pincers open, and he jammed the spear into the elbow joint, aiming for one of the lines feeding the pincer. Steam poured from the damaged joint and the mechanical pulled back, taking the spear with it.

  "The camera, the camera!" she shouted. Weaponless, Alec ducked under the pincer and smashed his fist into the camera lens, shattering the glass. The mechanical began to swing left and right, blind. He rolled away on the ground as the mechanical shambled forward, headed for Evie.

  "The control box!" She shouted again, ducking behind the marble bench. Her dark hair tumbled around her shoulders. "At the back of the head, the little red light."

  How in the hell am I supposed to take that out, he wondered wildly. But Evie’s focus rose past him to the towering mechanical. No, her gaze didn’t narrow on the attacker, but on Toby.

  The little companion climbed in a blur of bronze speed. It reached the control box in a fraction of a second, but it didn't destroy the box. It reached in, eyes shining brilliant blue. Suddenly, the mechanical halted. Steam released from every joint and it seemed to settle in on itself. The little red light on the control box blinked one more time and turned to shine a steady green.

  Toby had done it.

  "I've deactivated it, deactivated it!" Lord Weatherly’s shout came from far away and the light on the control box went out. Without the stabilizers, the thing started to fall forward.

  Alec dove over the bench and slammed into Evie. As they fell to the ground, he rolled them almost under the hedge lining the alcove. He did his best to shelter her with his body as he watched the mechanical topple over, destroying the marble bench and showering them in chunks of stone. It had missed them, only just.

  He reared up on his elbows and looked down at her. "Are you all right?"

  "That was close." She peered up from the shelter of his arms, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed.

  Relief rushed through him, his veins already singing with the thrill of battle. "Thank God." He let his head fall until his forehead rested against her shoulder.

  Her dress was torn, revealing pale skin a breath away from his mouth. She smelled of honeysuckle and sunlight. He became aware of the length of her trapped under him, the curve of her breasts pressed against his chest and the folds of her skirts caught around his legs. Suddenly, he had to taste the creamy skin so close to his mouth, had to run his hand along her side to feel the curve of her waist.

  She stiffened under him as his lips touched her shoulder. "Wh-what are you doing?"

  He lifted his head and looked deep into her eyes. For the first time since he’d made her acquaintance, he’d caught her without words, her lips parted as she took in a little gasp. Responding to the unintentional invitation, he dipped his head and took her mouth.

  He took her first kiss. She didn't know what had come over Captain Corwin, but the look he'd given her burned feverishly wild. His lips pressed down on hers, demanding and possessive. He'd taken advantage of her parted lips to slide his tongue into her mouth, exploring in warm sweeps. Caught by surprise, she could only drawback her tongue awkwardly, confused and unsure. And yet, something about the way he tasted her, the way his lips melded against hers and his hands ran over her body, sapped her strength, leaving behind an excited anticipation. His hips pressed into hers and she felt the solid strength of his biceps under her hands.

  She didn't want to escape, didn't want to push him away. She wanted him to show her more of this uncontrolled side of him, stealing her breath away and sending her heart racing wildly.

  She wanted...

  "Is everyone all right?"

  To hide.

  The weight of his body suddenly lifted off her, and he helped her up. His face was flushed, his golden hair tousled. He called out to the would-be rescuers as they gathered on the other side of the fallen mechanical. "We're safe, here."

  "We'll have you out in a moment, Captain Corwin."

  When Alec turned to her, he seemed embarr
assed, but that wild look was still in his eyes. "I apologize, Miss Dunn."

  She didn't know what to say. His eyes fell to her shoulder and she realized the fabric had torn. A little electric jolt zinged through her, as she became aware he looked at her with desire, but she directed her thoughts towards Toby.

  The mechanical balanced on her shoulder. Handing Toby the fabric on either side, her mechanical transformed into a buckle, holding the dress together. Her hair would have to go unbound, but better than her bodice falling away.

  Glancing up at Corwin, she thought he might not mind her lack of coverage. And if it had been only him, she might not either.

  Blushing at the thought, she cleared her throat. "Thank you, Captain, for your timely rescue."

  "Thank you, Miss Dunn, for the aid." He removed his jacket and placed it around her shoulders, his mouth coming close to her ear. He whispered, "I'd like to have a word with you about that little mechanical of yours."

  Not a word about the kiss?

  Their rescuers managed to move one of the big arms, clearing access to the alcove. Men poured in, surrounding the two of them with bustling concern. It was anti-climactic, as the danger had passed.

  They raised quite a fuss over the mechanical having gone out of control and they gave many slaps on the back as they commended Captain Corwin for his bravery.

  "Evie!" Jeffrey arrived by her side, shaking her gently as he took in her disheveled state. "Evie, are you injured anywhere?"

  "N-no." She couldn't speak properly as he shook her. "For goodness sake, Jeffrey, I'll be fine if you stop shaking me."

  Her brother eased his grip on her upper arms. "I think I'd better take you inside."

  "Yes, yes." Lord Weatherly stood there, too, brows drawn together in concern. "Miss Dunn, I am truly sorry you were put in danger. It's only the best luck Captain Corwin was able to save you."

  "I've taken no harm, Lord Weatherly," she reassured him. "Truly, I'm only a little unsettled. There is no lasting damage."

  Captain Corwin approached, parting the crowd of well-meaning gentlemen. "I'll see the Dunns to your study, Weatherly. A detail of men should clean this up and send the parts to be examined. It is important to know what sent it out of control."

  No one questioned him or offered a word to the contrary. Of course, he must be used to issuing orders and being obeyed.

  Chapter 4

  "No."

  "I beg your pardon?" Captain Corwin's eyes widened, and Evie swore she could see a vein pulse in his forehead.

  Really. People must give the man far too much unquestioning obedience.

  "I said, 'no', Captain Corwin." She settled herself more firmly on the gracefully curved settee in Lord Weatherly's study. "I will not retire for the evening, nor will I go into hiding. There are a few very important bits of information I must share with Lord Weatherly when he arrives, and you will all definitely need me to follow up on them."

  "Miss Dunn," Corwin might have struggled for polite address, but his voice strained past composure. He literally growled at her. "You've been through a very stressful experience. You must be overwrought. I highly recommend you retire for the evening for your well-being and safety."

  "Then you will not apprehend the person responsible for endangering both my safety and that of the other guests." Or at least, she though silently, they had far less chance to catch the perpetrator.

  She wondered if she'd pushed Corwin to his limit. He truly appeared ready to explode, his eyes bugging out slightly and his face turning ruddy. As he drew a deep breath and opened his mouth, Lord Weatherly entered.

  "Here now, are you all right, Miss Dunn?" The portly lord bustled to her side, taking one hand and patting it in such a fatherly manner, tears sprung to her eyes. He truly reminded her of her father. Still in buckle form, Toby issued a little squeak.

  "I'm quite all right, my lord, truly." She gave him a smile and patted his hand, glad when the lines around his eyes relaxed with relief. "But I have a matter most urgent to discuss with you. It really can't wait."

  "Are you certain you want to discuss this, Evie?" Jeffrey spoke with grave concern, and she understood his reservation. If Captain Corwin or Lord Weatherly took her news in the wrong way, she would have no chance of sponsorship or finding a suitable match in England.

  She nodded, meeting Jeffrey's searching look. "It's important, Jeffrey. Very important."

  He gestured for her to continue.

  "I wouldn't have noticed if we hadn't studied the mechanicals last evening after dinner, Lord Weatherly." She spoke slowly and put all the confidence she could muster into every word. It was so important they believe her. "But the mechanical tonight had changed."

  "And you saw this change?" Corwin asked, one eyebrow raised in a skeptical expression.

  "Not quite." She paused. "It would be more accurate to say I sensed the difference."

  "Oh for God's sake." Corwin threw his hands up.

  "You wanted to know how I knew the submarine was there, below us, from the airship." At her words, the captain lowered his arms. "I have an affinity for metals. It's why Toby and I are perfectly in sync. He couldn't synchronize with another human's biometrics the way he does with mine. The mechanical out in the garden tonight had something new installed, a foreign metal forged in a different foundry from the rest of the parts."

  Corwin shook his head. "Really, Miss Dunn..."

  "No, wait." Lord Weatherly held up a hand. He addressed her in wondering tones. "How did you know every part had been forged in the same foundry? Components for mechanicals could come from any number of manufacturers."

  She shook her head, sure of the feel from every part of the mechanical. "All three mechanicals were made of components all from the same foundry. You have an exclusive contract somewhere.”

  Lifting her chin, she fell silent, daring him to refute her assessment.

  Instead, Lord Weatherly paled and took out a handkerchief, patting sweat from his forehead. “You are correct, my dear. I had an exclusive contract until very recently.”

  Satisfied she had his attention, and possibly his belief, she continued. “The berserker had a foreign control box in the cockpit. When it cornered us, I sent Toby to home in on it. He might have been able to reprogram it, but there was no time. He had to destroy it instead."

  The room filled with heavy silence as she finished. She wouldn’t be sorry for what she’d done, or for telling them now. Jeffrey’s expression spoke of his worry. She couldn’t even look at the captain.

  "Your father told me you were special." Lord Weatherly whispered the words. "Extracted a promise from me as his closest friend to watch over you. When he said you would be different, I had no idea."

  He believed her. Relief swept through her and if hadn't been for her corset, she might have breathed a deep sigh of relief. She settled for a tiny one instead. "We need to move quickly. The controller is in the ballroom somewhere. The component couldn't have had a longer range than that. If I go back into the ballroom, get close enough to the holder, we will identify your saboteur."

  "Oh no," Jeffrey spoke for the first time, pacing the length of the room in agitation. "This has gone far enough. You will not endanger yourself by going back out there."

  "Agreed." Lord Weatherly nodded.

  She opened her mouth to protest, but Corwin spoke first. "As much as it kills me to say it, Miss Dunn has a point."

  Caught by surprise, words popped out of her mouth, past what few filters she had. "You haven't died."

  Ice blue eyes pinned her as Corwin ran a hand through his hair. "Our best chance of bringing the culprit to justice is to apprehend him tonight. Short of searching every man and woman present, taking Miss Dunn for a tour of the ballroom seems the most effective plan."

  "I don't like it." Jeffrey remained adamant.

  "Nor do I," Weatherly chimed in.

  Refreshing really, to watch someone doing her arguing for her. She sat back as Corwin continued with inexorable practicality. "
There are political and military repercussions to this devilry. We must apprehend the person responsible quickly and interrogate him. Miss Dunn has proposed our best strategy to do so with the least chance of discovery. No one has left the grounds yet; it would have been too obvious. Our man, or woman, is here."

  "And I haven't seen the Christmas tree yet."

  Chapter 5

  For the second time of the evening, Evie stepped onto the dance floor on the arm of Captain Corwin. Lady Weatherly bustled to and fro amongst the crowd, calming guests and encouraging dancers to the floor in an effort to bring the party back to festivity.

  "Let me know when you...sense the person we're looking for." She heard the hesitation in Corwin's voice.

  To give the man credit, he had taken the revelation of her unusual gift in stride. So had Lord Weatherly. Still, she wondered how badly her future might suffer in order to catch one saboteur.

  "Don't think too hard," Corwin murmured, taking her hand in his and pulling her close. "It shows on your face."

  "What am I supposed to do then?"

  "Enjoy the dance." He smiled down at her, taking her into the first steps. "You'll know when you find what you're looking for, and I'll know by watching you."

  Toby, still holding her dress in a presentable manner at her shoulder, chirped in response to the skip of her heartbeat. Damn, but Corwin knew, too. His smile turned positively smug. Her temper flared, and maybe a touch of something naughtier, as she looked directly up into his gaze.

  He swept her across the room, establishing a strong lead again. He kept them to the outside of the other couples and skillfully spun her out in turns, bringing her close to groups of men conversing along the edge of the dance floor. A brief dip or a cross step, a pause and withdraw, and they were off in a whirl. Despite their mission, she felt herself caught up in the rush of the dance, perhaps enjoying it even more for the taste of danger in the air.