Page 21 (1/2)

Strangely, once Lady Maccon had attained the deck, her legs no longer seeracelessly onto the wooden deck

"I think I ht reside here for a moment," she said after her third attempt to rise resulted only in wobbly knees and bones akin to jellyfish tentacles

The steward, an immaculate if portly man dressed in a uniforreat concern, wringing his hands He was clearlyoff his craft had occurred What would the coet you, Lady Maccon? Soer?"

"Tea, I think, would be quite the restorative," replied Alexia,about like a worried canary

Madame Lefoux crouched down next to her Yet another reason to envy the Frenchwoood health,apparently been fixed while Lady Maccon was rescued

"I aht and notion of floating than I was at the onset of our journey," replied Alexia "But never mind that Quickly now, before the steward returns, what happened after I fell? Did you see the attacker’s face, ascertain his purpose or intention?" She left off the "Were you in cahoots?" part of that question

Mada serious "Thecloak; I could not even say with certainty if it was a led for a tiet off a shot with the dart eh one of the dirigible heliu blow to the side Apparently that was sufficient to instill fear, for the attacker took flight and ed to escape mostly unharmed"

"Bollix," swore Lady Maccon succinctly It was one of her husband’s favorite words, and she would norn to use it, but current circumstances seemed to warrant its application "And there are far too e an inquest, even if I did not want to keep my preternatural state and role as muhjah a comparative secret"

The Frenchwoman nodded

"Well, I think I may be able to stand now"

Madame Lefoux bent to help her up

"Did I lose my parasol in the fall?"

The inventor dimpled "No, it tumbled to the floor of the observation deck I believe it is still there Shall I have one of the hands bring it to your roonaled to a nearby deckhand and sent hi a little dizzy and was annoyed with herself for it She had been through worse during the preceding summer and saw no reason to coravity She allowed the inventor to assist her to her rooratefully down on her bed "A little sleep and I shall be right as rain tomorrow"

The Frenchwoman nodded and bent over her solicitously "You are certain you do not need assistance to disrobe? I would be happy to help in your maid’s stead"

Alexia blushed at the offer Had she been wrong to doubt the inventor? Madame Lefoux did seem to be quite the best sort of ally to have And, despite her , like vanilla custard Would it be so awful if this woman were to become a friend?

Then she noticed that the cravat around Madame Lefoux’s neck was stained on one side with a s off the attacker and said nothing!" she accused, worried "Here, let me see" Before the inventor could stop her, Lady Maccon pulled her down to sit on the bed and began untying the long length of Egyptian cotton wound about Madaant neck

"It is of little consequence," the Frenchwonored all protestations and tossed the cravat to the floor--it was ruined anyway Then, with gentle fingers, she leaned in close to check the wo more than a scratch, already clotted

"It looks quite shallow," she said in relief

"There, you see?" Self-consciously, Madali that the cravat had kept hidden: near the nape, partly covered by a few short curls of hair Lady Maccon craned her head about to see what it ainst the woman’s fine white skin, was inked in careful black lines Alexia brushed the hair aside in a soft caress, startling the Frenchwoman, and leaned in, overcome with curiosity

It was a tattoo of an octopus

Lady Maccon frowned, oblivious to the fact that her hand still lay softly against the other woe before? Abruptly, she reth of character did she stop herself fro away in horror She had seen that octopus depicted in brass over and over again, all about the Hypocras Club just after Dr Siemons kidnapped her

An aard silence ensued "Are you certain you are quite well, Mada better to say

Misinterpreting her continued physical contact, the lady inventor twisted to face her, their noses practically touching Madame Lefoux slid her hand up Alexia’s arm

Lady Maccon had read that Frenchwomen were much more physically affectionate than British wo unbearably personal in the touch And no ood she smelled and how helpful she had been, there was that octopus ht could have been staged She could have an associate on board She could still be a spy, intent on procuring the h any possiblehand

At the withdrawal, the inventor stood "I shall excuse myself We could probably both use so saw everyone back about their regular routine, bruises, bonnets, and all Miss Hisselpenny forbore to ible out of s Madaingly polite, with no co’s aerial escapade She inquired kindly after Tunstell’s health, to which Alexia responded favorably Felicity was horrible and snide, but then Felicity had been a repulsive earwig ever since she first grew a vocabulary It was as though nothing untoward had occurred at all

Lady Maccon only nibbled at her food, not fro, but because she was still feeling slightly airsick She was looking forward to having solid, unpretentious ground under her feet once more

"What are your plans for the day, Lady Maccon?" inquired Madame Lefoux when all other pleasantries were exhausted

"I envision an exhausting day of lying about in a deck chair, broken up with s strolls about the ship"

"Capital plan," replied Felicity

"Yes, sister, but I was going to sit in that deck chair with a book, not a supercilious expression and a hand mirror," shot back Alexia

Felicity only s at for extended periods of time"

Madame Lefoux turned to Ivy "Are they always like this?"

Miss Hisselpenny had been staring drea as I’ve know thee now I mean to say, Alexia and I have been friends for quite these four years I and did not respond

Lady Maccon realized she was exposing herself to ridicule by bickering with her sibling