Viridis - A Steampunk Romance

by Calista Taylor

  Seth got up and came to her side, but stopped short of touching her, lines of pain and anguish etched in his beautiful face. “I’m truly sorry, Phoebe. Not only that you had to endure such a thing, but that I reacted selfishly. Please Phoebe…”

  He took a step closer so he stood now only a breath away, his eyes searching for some sort of confirmation, some sign that he was forgiven. Having him so close only served to weaken her defenses, so that when he cupped her face she did not pull away from his touch. Leaning forward, he tenderly kissed her tears away, moving from one cheek to the other, before lowering his lips to hers. Her resolve and anger melted with each kiss, until she found herself kissing him back, the dark hold on her heart loosening just a little.

  Pushing all other thoughts from her mind, Phoebe kept herself focused on the one thing that mattered— Seth. There was no room for anyone else.

  His kiss deepened and she leaned into him. She was still wearing nothing more than her silk dressing gown, the flimsy fabric doing nothing to shield her from his touch. She felt his need for her, and knew he was trying his best to set aside any apprehensions he may have had.

  But when his kisses slowed, and he pulled away, her fear that he would reject her yet again, left her heart sputtering.

  He twined his fingers with hers. “I love you, a ghaoil. Will ye have me back?”

  She looked down at their linked hands, but did not speak for the longest time. She wanted nothing more than to take him back, but she would not do it if it meant eventual heartache.

  Finally, she said, “I do love you, Seth. More than life itself. But there is nothing to discuss if you cannot come to terms with what happened.”

  “I can only try my hardest, and time will only help. We’ll get through this together, my love. ” He cupped her face and looked into her eyes. “I was mistaken to think that touching you would be any different than it has always been, for when I am with you, there is no one but the two of us.” He wrapped his arms around her as she returned his embrace, knowing they stood a chance.

  Phoebe tried to calm her racing heart as Seth’s hand brushed her dressing gown off her shoulder, so it hung precariously, ready to slip to the floor. With an arm around her waist he held her to him, his head lowering to kiss the now exposed skin. Taking his time, he trailed his kisses up the slope of her neck, while he paused here and there to pay special attention to a particular spot or curve on his way to her lips. Her skin tingled from the Viridis she had consumed. Every nerve was dancing with energy, so that each touch, each breath left her desperately wanting more.

  When his kiss deepened, her body tensed despite her attempts to keep herself from panicking. He felt it too, and eased back on his intensity so his lips all but brushed against her own.

  Muttering between kisses, his voice was but a whisper. “’Tis all right, my love. You’re safe now. I swear upon my life, no one will harm ye again.” His kiss deepened once again, and she knew they must do this, for putting off the matter would only allow the problem to fester.

  He rid himself of his clothing and then undid the tie of her dressing gown, letting it slip to the floor so she stood completely naked before him. The chill in the air had teased her nipples erect. Closing the distance between them, he slipped one arm around her waist to hold her close, as the other came up to cup her face, his fingers in her hair.

  Their eyes met and he held her gaze with his own. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse with emotion. “Will ye have me, Phoebe?”

  She nodded, blinking back tears. “I will. And you? Will you have me, Seth?”

  He lowered his head, his lips brushing against hers in a whisper of a kiss. “You and no other, a ghaoil.”

  Phoebe pushed all other thoughts from her mind and concentrated on the only thing of any importance at that moment— Seth, and Seth alone. There was no room in her head for anything else— no room for Victor or her nightmares.

  They stood there naked in the warmth of the fireplace, her pulse racy and erratic from his gentle touch. Her arms went around his neck and she pulled him to her, meeting his mouth with her own.

  Like a spark to dry tinder, the fire within her ignited. With all that had happened, she could not take things slow; she desperately needed to cleanse herself of Victor’s touch. Seth responded to her need, their kiss deepening as his hand trailed its way to tease her nipples pert, a moan escaping her lips.

  Unable to leave their kiss, she murmured against his lips. “Please, Seth. I need you.” Reaching down, she stroked his hard length, making it pulse in response.

  “Phoebe—” Seeking to erase all words from his mind, to erase all his fears and doubts, she pushed him onto the sofa and dropped to her knees before him.

  She ran her tongue up his cock and he shuddered in response. As his fingers knotted in her hair, she continued to tease and take, pushing him towards the edge, her own need pulsing in beat with his own. When his moans reached a crescendo, she straddled his lap and with barely a moment’s hesitation, slid down the length of him.

  “A ghaoil, ye’re going to be the death of me.” Her heart soared upon hearing his breathy response, and she covered his mouth with hers, allowing all control to slip away. He clamped an arm around her waist, and met her thrust for thrust, burying himself in her.

  “Look at me… I need you to look at me, Phoebe.” Without breaking her rhythm, she met his gaze. “I need you to know it’s me. Me and no one else. You’re my heart and my soul, a ghaoil. Mine and no other’s.”

  Their pace quickened until she thought she could take no more, her eyes locked with his. Her body tightened around him, his name but a whisper upon her lips as he pushed them over the edge, his claim on her complete.

  ***

  The following morning, not only did Phoebe awake in Seth’s arms, but to a happiest surprise— Gabriel was awake and it looked like he would indeed recover. Sitting by his side, she tried to reassure him that his memory would return and even if it never did, she was just happy to have him back.

  “I’m sorry. I really do not remember what happened.” He shifted, his face suddenly grimacing in pain, his hand going to his chest where he was shot.

  “Let me get you something to ease your discomfort.” Worried, Phoebe started to stand, but he took her hand in his, preventing her from getting up.

  “It can wait. I’m fine for now.” His eyes went to everyone in the room before settling back on Phoebe, a look of question in his eyes. “Did something else happen?”

  Phoebe gave his hand a squeeze, and smiled at him, trying to mask any indication of all that had occurred. “Nothing you need to worry yourself about. As for your memory, it will take some time, but should come back to you soon enough.”

  “I know. It’s frustrating though. I remember being at Viridis, and I remember going to the pub with Lilly, but nothing after that.” His color looked flushed and mottled, and Phoebe knew it would be some time still before he was back to feeling like himself.

  “You must get some rest.” Phoebe stood and kissed his forehead. “I’m glad to have you back, my dear.”

  “I’m glad to be back.”

  ***

  Later that afternoon, Phoebe sat across from William in the sitting room, relaying Gabriel’s condition, but her stomach churned as she wondered why he had come. She knew by the worried look in his eyes that this was not simply a social visit.

  “I’m glad to hear he’s well. Do you think it would be possible for me to question him?”

  “I don’t see why not. The lads are with him as we speak, though I will warn you he does not remember what happened or who attacked him.” William nodded, then glanced at her hand, where she had yet to replace her engagement ring.

  She quickly covered her left hand with her right blushing under his gaze. She could only imagine what he thought of her after what had happened at Victor’s.

  Though William looked rather uncomfortable, his tone was business like, polite. “Mr. Elliott is here then? I do have some news I w
ish to discuss with the two of you, if you have a moment to spare.”

  “Of course.” Phoebe stood and William followed her to Gabriel’s room.

  Despite the room’s large size, it was now looking rather crowded. She couldn’t help but notice William start when he spied Seth and Gavin’s abused faces, the two of them looking like they’d been in a dockside brawl. Gabriel, was propped up in bed, and looking much better. Gavin and Seth’s constant company had greatly lifted his spirits.

  After the niceties were taken care of, William took the offered seat and got to the business at hand. “I’m afraid the police department will be unable to pursue the charges of theft and blackmail against Lord Fenwick, and there is not enough evidence to show his hand in the murder of Lord Hawthorne. Unfortunately, our hands are tied regarding the matter.”

  Phoebe felt numb. After all that had happened, it would have been a small consolation to at least have Victor charged with her assault and the theft of her formula. Now, she would not have even that.

  “I am terribly sorry about the matter, Lady Hughes, and if there were anything I could do, it would already be done.”

  She nodded in acknowledgment, before glancing to Seth, who glared at William. “Would you care to explain how exactly this could happen? You have Sarah’s testimony and the module. Is it not enough?”

  William shook his head. “There was even additional evidence given by a clerk employed at Lord Fenwick’s solicitor’s further incriminating him, and yet Victor is a free man.”

  Gavin stood there, arms crossed, looking far too much like the Vikings of his ancestors, his anger coiled and ready to spring. “The SS has had their hands in this from the beginning, aye? They’re the only ones with that type of authority, save the Queen.”

  William sighed. “It’s true they’re somehow involved though I’m not sure what their role is in all of this. We knew Lord Niles Hawthorne had been working for Special Services, but it also appears that Lord Fenwick had blackmailed him into stealing the formula.” William shot a glance at Gabriel before continuing, and Phoebe’s heart tripped over itself as she tried to keep her thoughts from racing. “It was Niles who supplied Victor with a copy of the key and the code to your laboratory, which he then gave to Sarah, thus enabling her access to your formulations.”

  “I’m so sorry, Phoebe.” Gabriel gave her a pleading look, his voice strained with emotion and guilt. “Niles must have gotten the key and code when he’d been to my home. I’m afraid I did not have them locked away properly.”

  Phoebe took his hand and managed a smile. “Don’t blame yourself, my love. You could not have known.”

  “Still. This would not have happened if it hadn’t been for my carelessness.” Gabriel hung his dark head, refusing to meet her eyes.

  Phoebe reached out and cupped his cheek, forcing him to look at her. “Listen to me, Gabriel. They would have found another way. Why do you think Victor courted me? But quite frankly, it does not matter. None of it matters, as long as we still have each other.”

  Frustration marked Seth’s face as he asked, “Do you still think Victor had something to do with Niles’s murder?”

  William shrugged. “To be honest I do not know. I managed to find the man who was seen with Niles the night of his murder, a Mr. Brown. He admitted to arranging the blackmail and theft for Victor, but had no evidence to implicate him in the murder. Though it is possible Brown himself murdered Niles, he had no connection to Niles other than the business he was conducting on Victor’s behalf. I highly doubt he would take the fall for murder if it were something Victor had sent him to do.”

  “So then, what happened? I do not understand why Victor isn’t being charged if you have the evidence.” Seth went back to pacing the room, trying to vent some of his anger.

  “We brought Victor to the station and charged him based on the evidence and the confessions we had from both Sarah and Brown. Our case was strong, and quite frankly the evidence against him was quite damning. But I’m afraid his sphere of influence is even wider than I’d anticipated. All of the charges against him have been dropped,” he turned once again to Phoebe, “even your charges of assault. I’m afraid there’s nothing that can be done. I am truly sorry.”

  Phoebe nearly laughed to keep from crying. “Somehow, I am not surprised in the least.”

  Seth shook his head in disgust. “Ye then wonder why there’s revolution in the air.”

  Chapter Seventy Five

  Gabriel watched as everyone left the room, leaving him and William to speak in private. His heart felt like it would leap out of his chest, as his mind raced through the possibilities, a feeling of dread settling in the pit of his stomach.

  William took the seat by Gabriel’s bedside. “Your sister mentioned you do not remember who attacked you, but is there anything else you remember from that night? I fear that you may still be in danger.”

  Gabriel had been scouring his brain since he awoke. “I’ve been trying to remember, but I still cannot recall a thing. The last I remember is being at the club the evening before, and then seeing you with Lilly.”

  “It is still early days, and I am sure your memory will return with time, though until then I do hope you will be careful.” A silence hung in the air between them.

  William’s demeanor was serious, though his eyes were not without kindness as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small stack of envelopes wrapped in a red silk ribbon. “I believe these are yours,” he said, handing them to Gabriel.

  Gabriel could feel all the blood drain from his face as he looked down at the envelopes, the handwriting all too familiar. He looked at William, unable to mask his panic and not quite sure what he should say. Everything in him was telling him to deny it, to be outraged at the accusation, to ask William to leave. In the end he could not say anything at all. He knew it would be futile to deny it, and was far too tired of pretending to be someone he was not.

  His fingers ran over the silk ribbon as he blinked away the tears. Niles had kept his letters with such care. Though he had betrayed him, he now knew he’d been forced to do so. With his family’s status in society, Niles’s situation had been a precarious one, and he would not have survived it if his true nature had been exposed.

  William gave a slight nod. “I am right then.” It was not a question but a statement. “Does your sister know?”

  Gabriel sighed heavily. “I do not know. I’ve never told her, and have always tried to be cautious, but… Well, you’ll know a little bit about her by now, and she’s not one to have the wool pulled over her eyes. If she does know, she has never said.”

  Gabriel held the letters to his chest. “How did you figure it all out? We had tried to be so careful.”

  William nodded. “You were, and I’ll admit it hadn’t crossed my mind. I came across the letters when looking for clues to the murder, but had no idea who had written them until the night you were attacked. I was there at your home when Gavin found you. While looking around your home for any indication as to who attacked you, I came across the ledger on your desk and recognized the handwriting.”

  Gabriel just shook his head. “It’s always the small details that give us away.”

  “As careful as you were, could it be someone found out about Niles? I do not know what Victor was blackmailing Niles with, but I would think it a possibility.”

  Gabriel shrugged. “I suppose it is possible, though he was trying his best to keep it a secret. He was even going to marry Lilly as a guise— no marital obligations— and in exchange he would make sure she and her sister would want for nothing. A poor marriage his father might forgive, but certainly not buggery. Being the second son, his inheritance wouldn’t be large, but he would lose everything if he were ever found out, including his reputation. He’d have nothing left.”

  William nodded in acknowledgement. “I can see the difficulties, especially when you take Niles’s financial situation into consideration. The marriage would allow some freedoms you would no
t otherwise have.”

  “I actually gave it a fair amount of thought myself, and even asked Lilly to consider a similar situation since it’s rare to find someone willing to enter into such a marriage. She seemed keen. Though Niles is dead, I’m sure there will come a time in the future….” Gabriel left the words unsaid, Niles’s loss still too painful.

  “I can see how it would be a tempting scenario. It must be tiring to have to constantly hide who you truly are.”

  Gabriel sighed. “Exhausting.”

  Chapter Seventy Six

  Phoebe sat by the fire, numb, her drink abandoned on the side table, staring blankly at the glowing embers and dancing flames. Even when Seth crouched before her, her gaze remained on the flickering light.

  “Phoebe, love. Will ye not say something? You’ve barely spoken a word since William left.”

  Phoebe pulled her gaze away with some difficulty and said, “There really isn’t much to say, is there? Victor will go free. It really is a simple matter.”

  He frowned, the worry clear in his eyes. Reaching out, he took her hands in hers. “I swear to you, Phoebe, he’ll not come near you.” She saw his gaze flick over to Gavin for just a moment.

  She shifted a glare between the two of them, pinning them to the spot, anger erupting within her. “If I hear either one of you has gone near him, so help me, I will never speak to either of you again.”

  “Och, love—” Gavin started, only to be cut off.

  “Don’t och, love me! It’ll get you nowhere. Now, have I made myself clear? If you so much as speak a word to the man—”

  Gavin mumbled, half under his breath, “It wasna speaking I had in mind, aye?”

  “I heard that.” Phoebe was out of her chair and at his side, looking up at his six feet and six inches from her five and two. “I swear to you, Gavin MacKay, if I hear he’s come to harm and you had a hand in it, I’ll cut your heart out.”