Sophronia might have argued with the man indefinitely, but there came a screeching, airy, puff noise, and a long metal tube, which ended above the platform, spat out a pelletlike object that nearly hit the man on the head.
He grabbed it out of the air and cracked it open on his knee; it split like an egg. Inside was a message, which he read and then, giving Sophronia a suspicious look, reached for a massive bullhorn. The brass horn was almost as tall as he, and all over covered in keys and levers. Raising it to his lips and adjusting the controls to his liking, the man yelled out over the chamber. “All hands, pull back, we’re going down at speed. Propeller tilt to steady a rapid decent. Greasers Six and Fourteen, take your sooties up top. We’re collapsing the midship balloon.”
A collective gasp met that statement.
So I managed to climb the ship and get him the message here before the pilot’s bubble did. No wonder they want working guidance valves. No wonder everyone is so desperate to get their hands on these things. Everything about air travel could be faster—for everyone, not just those who float inside the aetherosphere.
Into the resulting comparative silence—the machinery still clanged and the boilers still flamed despite the fact that all human movement had stilled—a small voice said, “Not all the way?” in a shocked tone.
The red-faced man said into the bullhorn, “Yes. All the way. The rest of you, perform your cool-down tasks and then brace for a rough descent. We aren’t landing, mind you, but we are going down fast!”
The chamber sprung into action. It was as though everything were in reverse. Sooties who had been running one way began running the other. Stokers stopped stoking. A few even threw water on the burning fuel, the resulting steam adding to the congestion of the room.
The angry man looked at Sophronia. “You, get out of here! Find yourself a place to brace. This is no lark, you realize? And what’s your name?”
“Monique de Pelouse,” said Sophronia, without missing a beat.
“I wager it is. Now off with ya. Get!”
Sophronia got.
A truly harrowing few seconds followed. The ship sank so fast Sophronia could feel it in her belly. It was a wobbly sensation, especially when one was accustomed to not feeling anything at all on the floating school. She holed up in her favorite meeting spot behind a—now much diminished—pile of coal, near the floor hatch. Eventually, Soap joined her there. Together they watched the ground approach through the hatch.
“What did you do, miss?” asked Soap as London came into view.
“It wasn’t me. I tried, but he only took instructions when some tube spat at him.”
They could see Hyde Park at the city center and Regent’s Park to the north.
“Pilot’s orders. Must have agreed with you. But deflating a balloon? It’s not done, not ever. The expense alone!”
They began to see streets and houses distinctly.
“Are we going to crash?” wondered Sophronia, her heart fluttering.
Soap inched one long arm about her waist with the excuse that she might need the support. Sophronia felt somewhat reassured.
The bones of the Crystal Palace and the now empty benches came into view. Everyone was crowded around what could only be the fallen body of Professor Braithwope.
“Man the pull back, swell up inflation,” came a yell over the bullhorn.
“Erp, that’s me!” Soap dashed back to work.
Sophronia felt bereft.
Someone in the crowd below looked up, pointed, and screamed. It must be a truly terrifying thing to see, the massive school hurtling down toward them.
Then Sophronia felt a mighty jolt. They stopped falling and hovered, almost exactly as high above the ground as they had been before the whole thing started.
The sooties cheered.
Several of the young ladies in the crowd directly below fainted. Each faint was, properly, backward and caught by one of the many gentlemen in attendance.
Sophronia let down the rope ladder attached to one side of the hatch and climbed to the ground as quickly as she could.
BALLS AND CHAINS
No one—at least no one who had anything to say about it at the time—noticed Sophronia climbing down. She made her way through the crowd, ending up between Dimity and Captain Niall. She noted with relief that Pillover was still there and nodded gratefully at Sidheag, who would have forced them into continued proximity with the werewolf.
Sidheag smiled back. Genuine pleasure lit up her long, masculine face.
Professor Braithwope’s body was bent in a most unusual way. Someone had removed the helmet of the aether-suit, and the vampire’s face was gray-green in color. His mustache was deflated and floppy.
Monique de Pelouse was bent over the vampire, her face a study in tragedy. Sophronia wondered if it was a calculated expression, intentionally revealing her intimacy with the vampire to other vampires present. Was she saying, in her best Monique way: I’m in the market for a new patron? She might as well have taken out a sign that stretched across Mademoiselle Geraldine’s midship balloon.
Lady Linette was barking orders. “Get those stairs down. Quickly! We must get him onto school grounds immediately!” Sister Mattie was pulling and rearranging Professor Braithwope’s limbs, attempting to get them back into alignment. Professor Lefoux’s normal attitude of strict severity was in place, but her hands shook as she attempted to remove the aether-suit.
Then Professor Braithwope’s eyes snapped open.
The crowd gasped in titillated horror.
The vampire’s skin was drawn back flush against his skull as he opened his mouth in a silent scream, showing yellow gums and the full length of his fangs. They were a stark contrast to his fragility, all that wicked strength in such a small, sickly man.
“Oh my,” whispered Dimity, “how monstrous!”
Sophronia inched closer to the vampire, trying to listen to the quiet conversation between his female attendants.
“Monique!” said Professor Lefoux. “You’ll have to do your duty.”
Monique, composed and regal, nodded and with a single lissome movement swirled off her cape. Without hesitation she pressed one of her wrists to the vampire’s gaping mouth.
He bit down, hard. Blood splattered Monique’s white skin.
The surrounding watchers inhaled as one.
Dimity, as was her custom, fainted.
Monique gave a delicate shudder but no other reaction.
Well, thought Sophronia, that secret is definitely out. It’s a good thing she’s having her coming-out ball and leaving the school, or there would be questions from her parents after this.
It could almost be thought romantic, if it hadn’t been so gruesome. A tiny teardrop of blood leaked out the corner of the vampire’s mouth; his eyes remained wide and staring. Behind him, the great staircase of the school cranked downward, white puffs of steam escaping into the night. The midship balloon was being inflated and the fake scaffolding put back into place.
“Pull her away,” barked Professor Lefoux, without looking up from the suit. “That’s enough blood for one girl to give.”
Lady Linette yanked Monique’s wrist off the vampire’s fangs and pushed her back.
Monique swayed.
The crowd murmured in concern, but no one stepped forward to help. Monique’s cronies and sycophants looked away guiltily. Even Preshea did not want to touch her.
Then, out of the crowd, came one of the other vampires. He was an impossibly handsome man, older than he looked, of course, but one to set any young lady’s heart fluttering. Even knowing he was a vampire. For some, especially knowing he was a vampire. He took hold of Monique gently, his hands soft and supportive on her shoulders.
“There, there, pretty little nibble.”
Monique looked up at him from dazed blue eyes. “Oh, thank you, kind sir.”
Sophronia tried to memorize the man’s face. He might be important.
“More blood,” barked Sister Mattie. “He will succumb otherwise. And he needs it now.” She was looking at Professor Lefoux.
“Look at this.” Vieve’s aunt was distracted, gesturing to some section of the suit. “It’s been tampered with! And the transmitter valve, it failed.”
“Never mind that now, Beatrice. He needs you.”
Professor Lefoux finally looked up. “What? Now?”
“Yes, now!”
“Oh, very well.” Professor Lefoux rolled up one sleeve of her serviceable gown and placed her wrist to the vampire’s still dripping fangs with an air of disregard.
The girls of Mademoiselle Geraldine’s, the ones still sensate, sent up a gasp. The implication was unavoidable. Professor Lefoux was also a drone to Professor Braithwope!
Everyone’s secrets are coming to light tonight, thought Sophronia, wondering how she had missed this little facet of interteacher dynamics. I should have been a better observer. That must have been Professor Lefoux in the green robe the other night.
Feeling self-conscious but knowing now was the right time to do it, Sophronia stepped forward and whispered in Professor Lefoux’s ear.
“Professor, I hesitate to say such a thing, but I believe I saw Professor Shrimpdittle going into your lab alone last night. And he certainly hates vampires.”
Professor Lefoux’s sharp eyes turned toward her. “What are you about, Miss Temminnick?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary, Professor. Only letting you know, if there’s sabotage…” she trailed off.
Professor Lefoux, as if she could not help herself, glanced over the crowd, focusing on Professor Shrimpdittle. The boy’s teacher stood at the very back, looking as though he might run. His boyish face was equal parts shock and horror.
Sophronia stepped back into the throng.
Sidheag, supporting the fainted Dimity under one arm, asked gruffly, “What’s going on now?”
“Wait and watch.”
Eventually, Professor Braithwope stopped feeding. He still looked awful, eyes unfocused, and remained silent. He was lifted up by a group of dandies and carried on board.
Mademoiselle Geraldine pressed a large handkerchief to her trembling lips and trailed after, whispering brokenly, “But a man of such qualit-tay !” A few of the young ladies, overcome with sentiment, followed.
Professor Lefoux, without bothering to pretend weakness, tied Sister Mattie’s handkerchief about her own wrist, rolled down her sleeve and bent once more to examine the aether-suit. Eventually, she looked up.
“It has been tampered with, the guidance valve is not set properly. Meticulous sabotage, of the kind only possible from someone who knew how the suit worked. There is only one other person who could have done such a thing.”
“Well,” said Vieve, appearing at Sophronia elbow, “that’s not entirely true.”
“Vieve, you didn’t!”
“No, I didn’t, but I should like at least you to know that I could.”
Sophronia said, “Impossible child, better keep that to yourself.”
Professor Lefoux continued, “I am saddened to have to do this publicly, but Lord Ambrose, if you might be so kind as to seize Professor Shrimpdittle?”
The handsome vampire who had been consoling Monique looked at Professor Lefoux and then, with a curt nod, flitted supernaturally fast to the edge of the crowd, scooping up Professor Shrimpdittle before the man could even start to run.
“I object!” yelled the teacher, his eyes wild.
Sophronia felt suddenly unwell. She didn’t want to witness this, not after she had driven him to do it. Because of me, she thought, the suit was sabotaged. Because of me, Professor Braithwope could be permanently damaged. And now, because of me, this man will be punished for it. She wanted to be sick. She wanted to blame Vieve and her devilish bargain. Instead, she schooled her features, swallowed down the bile, and stood witness to her own actions.
“We object,” said one of the Picklemen in an autocratic tone. “Professor Shrimpdittle is a respected member of the Royal Society, not to mention a learned teacher.”
“He is also a noted vampire hater,” said Lord Ambrose, casually picking at his fang with a cravat pin while still holding Professor Shrimpdittle with his other hand.
The crowd separated. The vampires and their drones ranged against the Picklemen. The few ladies present, the remaining girls from the school, and Captain Niall held neutral territory between the two parties.
The potentate stepped forward, flanked on either side by two very large scruffy men. Captain Niall did a strange thing at the sight. He bowed, tilting his head and baring the back of his neck in a gesture of profound submission. Sidheag did the same. The scruffy men both nodded, accepting this odd behavior as their due. Their top hats, while fine specimens to the height of fashion, were tied beneath their chins, the black velvet ribbon stark against the white of evening cravats.