Viridis - A Steampunk Romance (38 page)

“I guess her judgment is in the hands of the gods,
then.”

Chapter Seventy Nine

It had been three weeks since they’d buried Gabriel,
and Lilly had buried Anne, her death coming only a day after the
attack. And now Phoebe would say goodbye to another friend, though
on a more temporary basis. She could not keep back her tears, as
she stood there with Gavin’s arms around her.

“I will miss you something terrible. Promise me you
won’t be gone long and that you’ll stay safe.” Phoebe looked up at
Gavin, the wind tugging free her hair from its pinnings as they
stood on the aerodock. He reached down and brushed the curls from
her eyes, then cupping her cheek in his hand, bent his head to hers
and kissed her, just a brush of the lips.

“Be well, my love. I willna be but twice a
fortnight.” Gavin let her go with a final look, then turned to Seth
pulling him in his arms for a hearty embrace.

“Take care, aye?” Gavin took a step back, and though
there were no more words spoken, there was plenty being said
between the two of them.

“Aye, and you. Stay safe and we’ll see you when you
return.” Seth took a step back, to stand at Phoebe’s side. Together
they watched as Gavin gave them a final wave in farewell, and then
climbed aboard the airship.

Phoebe’s spirits were low as they rode back to
Seth’s house. If it had not been for Seth and Gavin, she did not
know how she would have coped—if at all.

Back in the drawing room of Seth’s home, he pulled
her close and frowned a bit, his empty hand brushing her cheek.
“You worry me, my love. What can I do to bring your smile back? I
miss it something awful.” His arms went around her waist and she
leaned into him, her head on his chest as he held her tight.

She looked up at him. He had aged in the last month,
new lines around his eyes and mouth. He’d been through a lot— they
both had. Still, she managed a smile to keep him from worrying. “I
do love you something terrible, Seth Elliot.”

“Phoebe, have you given it any more thought?”

He had been so patient with her since Gabriel’s
death and the incident with Victor. Only once had he broached the
subject of marriage, and then only to let her know he still wanted
her to be his wife.

Her stomach clenched at the sight of him, her hand
drifting over the curve of her belly to try and soothe her nerves.
Looking into eyes that still made her heart trip over itself, she
reached up and touched his face, taking comfort in the familiar
feel of his stubbled cheek. The memories of their times together
came flooding back, the good drowning out the bad, until all she
could remember was the love they had for each other.

“I could not love you more, Seth Elliott. Will you
have me?”

“Aye, that I will.” Reaching into his jacket pocket,
he pulled out his mother’s ring, slipped it onto her finger, and
then kissed her like he never had before.

“I do love you so, Phoebe.”

“And I you.”

Chapter Eighty

He waited until all the lights in the house were
out, his Lordship having already retired some hours since. The
weather was mild enough that he did not mind the wait in the
garden, his mind busy with the task at hand. It had been some time
since he’d put his skills to use, not having the need in recent
times, but he was not worried. It was second nature.

He picked the lock to the servant’s entrance with
ease, then slipped past the doorway and into the shadows. Having
watched the home for the last week, he knew which bedroom he
needed, slipping up the back stairwell. With everyone turned in for
the night, he reached his destination will little difficulty.

The door was not locked, and even if it had been, it
would pose little problem. Careful to open the door only enough to
allow him passage, he closed it behind him and made his way quietly
to his Lordship’s bedside.

He took a deep breath to steal his nerves and mark
the moment of his revenge. For revenge he would have. Even if he
were caught, it would not matter as long as he completed the task
he set out to do. For he would make sure the bastard paid for what
he did to Lady Phoebe, and pay he would with his life.

It was done in a matter of seconds, his neck sliced
open while he still slept. Pity his death was a quick one when he
should have suffered, and that he died without knowing the reason
for it.

He wiped his knife clean on the covers, her honor
restored. “For you, my dear Lady.” With his mission complete and
his vengeance taken, Samuel slipped back into the shadows and off
into the night.

THE END

Author’s Note: I do hope you enjoyed
Viridis.
Reviews, as always, are greatly appreciated. For
more of Phoebe, Seth and Gavin’s adventures, please read on for a
sample of
Devil on a Sparrow’s Wing
, Book Two in
the Viridis Series.

Book 2 in the Viridis Series

Chapter One

Edinburgh, May 1866

Phoebe stood there at the helm of Gavin’s airship,
arms crossed and her temper up, as Seth argued with her.

“It could be dangerous and I’d rather not have to
worry about ye. I cannot concentrate on the matter at hand if I’m
distracted by trying to keep ye safe. Gavin,” he turned to his
friend for support, “can ye not talk some sense into her?”

Gavin balked. “How am I to talk sense into the lass,
when she’s
your
wife?” A teasing smile crept across his
lips.

“I’ll not have you talking around me as if I’m not
even here.” Phoebe’s cheeks flushed with her annoyance. Nothing was
more infuriating than having others make her decisions for her.
“And it makes no difference whose wife I am. Do you hear me, Seth
Elliot? Wife or no, I’m still my own person, and I’ll not have you
dictating whether or not I’ll be allowed to go to a meeting
regarding
my
herbal.”

Seth reached out and ran a hand down her arm,
diffusing some of the tension between them. “Can ye blame me for
wanting to keep you safe,
a ghaoil
? Of course we’re here
because of the Sanctis, but it does not change the fact that this
could be a dangerous situation. We’re meeting with the heads of
Am Freiceadan
for the first time and I cannot be sure of the
situation
.
”

Am Feiceadan
, known as The Watch, was the
group responsible for giving Scotland the edge it needed to win its
independence from England, its members notorious for their fighting
prowess.

However, Phoebe was not swayed by his argument. “So
you think they’ll assault and murder my person in the middle of the
tavern?” Her eyes perked up in question.

Gavin finally spoke up. “Let her come,
mo
charaid.
No harm will come to her. I’ve been dealing with these
men for years, and they’d nae hurt her, aye?” Gavin winked at
Phoebe, and she couldn’t help but smile. “Besides, who knows what
she’ll get up to if we leave her here alone.”

Seth shook his head, cursing under his breath,
accepting defeat. “Aye. Ye can come then.”

As if he had a choice in the matter. Phoebe threw
her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek, before
whispering in his ear with a nibble. “Well, I’m glad you’ve come to
your senses. I promise, you’ll barely know I’m there.”

“My love, ye could walk into a room with a hundred
other people, and I would instantly know ye’re there.” His arms
went around her waist, kissing her full on the lips. “Since I knew
ye’d likely insist on joining us, I’ve made ye a little something.
If ye’ll excuse us a moment, Gavin.”

Once in their room, Phoebe watched as Seth rummaged
under the bed, returning victorious with a silk wrapped package. He
handed it to her with a grin on his face and a sparkle in his eyes.
“For you, my love.”

The delicate rose ribbon fell to the side as she
peeled away the cream colored silk. “Seth, what have you done?”

“Do ye like it?” He stepped up behind her to peak
over her shoulder, his body so close, it was all she could do to
not lean against him.

She held it up to take a better look. “It’s a
leather corset?”

He laughed. “Not
just
a corset,
a
ghaoil
. I’ve designed it to withstand charges from fuse guns,
and even a knife or traditional gun would have a hard time
penetrating it.”

Spinning to face him, she could not help but laugh,
his arm going around her waist. “What would I do without you, my
dearest tinkerer?”

An eyebrow perked up. “One can only imagine.” A
laugh escaped him. “Here. Let me give ye a hand getting into
it.”

Phoebe loved that the recent months spent in Gavin’s
company and traveling to Scotland had Seth’s words falling back to
their more natural Scots, the lilt in his voice melting every fiber
in her being. She could hear him talk all day long and never tire
of it.

“Ye see, it can be worn both under a gown or over
it. And knowing ye often travel without a maid, I designed it so it
doesna lace like a traditional corset. Ye’ll be able to get yerself
in and out of it with few problems.” He showed her how the corset
buckled on each side.

It was actually quite heavy. Though the exterior was
made of a deep brown leather and the inside was lined with a
burgundy silk, there was another thick layer in between the two.
The leather pieces had been riveted together with hundreds of
little brass rivets, making the corset quite unlike anything she’d
ever seen.

She went to her wardrobe and chose a silk burgandy
gown with a nicely bustled back. Seth stepped to her side to help
her out of the corset she was currently wearing, but when he
started to trail kisses down her bare shoulder, she forced herself
to take a step away from him, before slipping into the gown. “We
will be quite late if you keep up your antics, my love.”

“Ye canna blame me, aye?” Seth snaked his arm around
her waist, pulling her close for a kiss.

“Could you give me a hand, please?” Ignoring Seth’s
look of disappointment, she handed him the corset.

He wrapped the corset around her waist. “Ye see, ye
adjust the buckles like so, starting with one side and then
adjusting the other.” He fastened the buckles, and then turned her
towards the full-length looking glass.

“Oh Seth, it really is stunning.”

“Ye’re the one that’s stunning, my love.”

***

Phoebe now sat happily sandwiched between Seth and
Gavin, as Seth maneuvered his steam coach down the cobbled streets
and into the center of Edinburgh. Busier than she had expected, the
walkways were teeming with people coming and going.

It was quite fascinating to see the revival the city
had undergone, now a tinkerer’s haven, the city transformed from
its traditional past. It was truly remarkable to see all that had
been accomplished, and she knew Seth was sorely tempted to move his
shop here and away from London.

Phoebe put a hand on his arm. “I’ve never seen
anything of the like. Perhaps one day we could live here. It really
would be the perfect place for you to be tinkering.”

Seth looked at her and she could see he was
surprised she’d mentioned it. “We couldna do that when ye have
Viridis back in London.”

Viridis, Phoebe’s club back in London, was named for
Phoebe’s first herbal concoction, bearing the same name. Much to
her surprise, Phoebe and her drink had taken London by storm and
become an instant success.

“I could always leave it in someone else’s care,
though I’ve no doubt the revolution may very well alter even the
simplest of plans.”

Seth glanced away from the road again. “Phoebe, I’d
never ask ye to do such thing.”

“I know love, but we could always open a second club
here, could we not? I’ve never seen a more amazing city.” Phoebe
was excited to see all the marvels as she looked around the city.
“It’s truly fascinating what they’ve done with the tinkerings. Look
over there!” Phoebe pointed to a large brass and glass coach
dangling from a metal rail as it sped along between the buildings,
leaving a trail of steam dissipating behind it.

All around them tinkerings abounded. A glass tube on
the exterior of a rakishly tall building carried people up its
side, airships dotted the sky, and towers reached towards the
heavens. There was even an abundance of other steam coaches on the
road, in a multitude of shapes and sizes. Their ride through
Edinburgh was remarkable, but it was not long before they arrived
at the tavern where their meeting was to take place.

“Here ye are, love.” Gavin gave Phoebe a hand out of
the steam coach as Seth came around to join them.

Seth tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow, a
sultry look in his eyes. She had chosen the burgundy gown to
complement her mahogany locks and porcelain skin, and though the
corset showed off her waistline, she had not realized it would have
such an effect. Both men’s gazes seemed to linger, and though she
may expect it from Seth, not even Gavin had been able to resist
looking back at her.

“Are ye ready, my love?” Seth’s voice held a hoarse
edge of need, making her want to abandon the meeting all together
and drag him back to the airship.

“I am.” Smiling at him, she gave his arm a
squeeze.

He leaned down and kissed her quickly, before
turning his attention to Gavin. “This is yers, aye? Ye’ve had
dealings with them before, and it’ll probably be best if ye do most
of the talking.”

Gavin gave Seth a quick nod in answer. “Aye. Will
do.”

They followed Gavin into the tavern, and after a
preliminary glance around, headed towards the back of the room
where two men stood upon seeing their approach.

One man couldn’t have been more than thirty-five,
strong and fair of face, with an unruly thatch of red hair. The
other man had to be in his late forties, with a weathered face and
brown hair streaked with grey. The thing that caught Phoebe’s
attention, however, was the tinkering the man wore in place of his
left arm, the shirtsleeve rolled up and out of the way to allow for
the metal joints and mechanics to operate freely.