Daniel turned to her. “May I fill you a plate, dear wife?”
She smiled. “That would be lovely, dear husband.”
As he turned to the buffet, she admired the smart cut of his clothes. He had a dashing wardrobe now, courtesy of her new position as the sole proprietor of Harrington Estate. Even so, she would always prefer the inventor as he looked while deep in the middle of work—shirtless, grease-streaked and with his work trousers hanging low over his lean hips. She’d lost track of how many times they’d taken a break from inventing to make love right there in the workshop.
Daniel set her plate down before her and then went to fill his. In the meantime, another footman arrived with the coffee. This particular servant was accompanied by the squeak of metal joints. He, or rather, the automaton, carefully set down the coffee tray.
Elena nodded at him. “Coffee for both of us, please, Mr. Powell.”
The automaton, with a human-like face of polished brass and dressed in the livery of a footman, nodded stiffly. It then proceeded to pour the steamy, redolent brew into her awaiting porcelain cup.
Not surprisingly, the other servants had needed time to acclimate to the new footman. A few had turned in their resignation immediately, uncomfortable with the idea of working alongside what they considered an artificial person—an abomination, at least one of them had called it. No matter—there were always others with far more progressive attitudes to fill their spots.
Having such an advanced device involved in the operations of the household yielded unexpected results. When news of Mr. Powell’s presence had spread, she and Daniel had become the talk of the town. Invitations to glamorous parties began arriving on a weekly basis. Wealthy families by the dozens begged Daniel to build them their own customized automaton servants. Of course, Mr. Powell was one of a kind, but his clients always settled for another unique invention.
Only she and Daniel knew the automaton only appeared artificial. Inside, he was all human. A combination of man and machine, actually, since the mechanical parts had been fused with the flesh and blood ones. At night, the automaton plugged itself into a customized chair to refuel and exterminate waste. Various tubes accomplished the tasks in a clean, streamlined fashion.
If need be, she and Daniel could control the automaton by means of a wireless device. It had been necessary at the beginning of the automaton’s tenure, when it had resisted their orders quite spectacularly, but it eventually learned its duties and now performed them without question.
Mr. Powell delivered Elena’s coffee cup.
“Thank you,” she murmured. Just because her father was now a humble servant in her employ did not mean she would forgo basic manners.
Daniel joined her shortly and Mr. Powell set a steaming cup of coffee by his plate. “Thanks. That will be all for now,” he said.
Mr. Powell bowed and went to stand against the wall, ready to serve again at a moment’s notice.
Elena studied the automaton. After his transformation, it hadn’t taken long to convince her father to sign all of his possessions and businesses over to her. His signature had looked a bit rough, but it had been authentic. And no one doubted her story that he’d set sail to see the world, seeking fortune in lands unknown. He had been a wealthy, ambitious man, after all.
She’d picked a new name for him at random. The name didn’t matter. Though she would ensure his care until his death, their previous relationship was officially over. Now, she had a new one to nurture, one that would allow her to live the life she’d always dreamed of having.
Daniel placed a warm hand over hers. “Your expression intrigues me. What are you thinking?”
She gazed with love at her inventor and smiled. “That you are the best inventor of all time, and I am the happiest woman in the world.”
The End
About The Author
Heather Massey is a lifelong fan of science fiction romance. She searches for sci-fi romance adventures aboard her blog, The Galaxy Express, and is the Releases Editor at Sci-Fi Romance Quarterly, a free SFR digital magazine for readers. She writes about the genre for Heroes & Heartbreakers and Coffee Time Romance. Additionally, her articles have been featured in Germany's LoveLetter magazine and at sites like SF Signal, Dear Author, and Tor.com.
She’s also an author. Her stories will entertain you with fantastical settings, larger-than-life characters, timeless romance, and rollicking action. So sit back, relax, and pour yourself a cup of space java as the stories unfold. You deserve it.
When Heather’s not reading or writing, she’s watching cult films and enjoying the company of her husband and daughter.
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