The Lady of Kingair glowed in pleasure. “Thank you very much, Sophronia. What a nice thing to say.”
They were discussing whether to climb around the outside of the ship or save time by running the inside corridors but risk the mechanical alarm when Vieve showed up.
“What’s going on?” demanded the scamp.
“Get us to engineering fast and I’ll tell you,” replied Sophronia.
“My pleasure.” Vieve whipped out her obstructor.
As they negotiated the halls at a jog, blasting one mechanical after another, Sophronia panted out her story again.
Vieve believed her without question. “Makes far more sense for the vampires to want to influence Dimity’s parents than old Ambrose’s excuse. Can’t understand why Lady Linette would believe him.”
Sophronia said, “This school has a vampire patron and a vampire teacher. Lady Linette wants to believe him. She wants to believe the potentate has control over the hives and that they aren’t kidnapping her students on a whim. I think Sister Mattie and Professor Braithwope, were he capable, are on our side. Captain Niall certainly is.”
“He would be. Werewolves always suspect vampires.” Vieve nodded gravely.
The sooties, after their conquest of the upper atmosphere, were mostly resting. A minimal crew kept the boilers at temperature—maintaining a steady position, heat for the residential sections, and power to the mechanicals.
The three girls dressed as boys clattered in and through the relative quiet without raising any suspicion. Even if two of them looked like an operatic take on bull-herding Spaniards.
Sophronia hoped Soap was also asleep; somehow she knew he’d be difficult if he found out what she was up to.
“Crikey, don’t you two look as fancy as fleas’ eyebrows!” said Soap, appearing behind her.
“Yes, well, it’s necessary.” Sophronia was short with her friend.
“Necessary? Those trousers are awful tight.” Soap’s eyes were wide. “Not that you don’t fill them out right, miss.” He lost his train of thought. “Oh, blast it.”
Sophronia came to his rescue. “We need to be able to cast doubt on a third party, in case we’re caught.”
“Caught doing what, exactly?” Soap demanded.
Vieve, little blabbermouth, answered him brightly, “Infiltrating a hive house.”
Soap’s dark eyes went worried. “Miss, is that a good idea?”
Sophronia gave up keeping him out of it. “No. It’s a dangerous, vampire-riddled mission, but they have kidnapped Dimity and Pillover.”
“I’m coming,” said Soap instantly.
“Now, Soap, you haven’t the training.” But Sophronia was already reconfiguring her plan to include him.
“And you aren’t finished with yours. At least I’ve experienced life.” The boy was already stripping out of his coal apron.
“Oh, very well. No time to argue. I’m worried about Dimity. She’s good but only in short bursts. Plus can you imagine her in a hive house? All that loose blood lying about.”
Soap said, “Coming, Vieve?”
Vieve shook her head. “Off-ship adventuring is not for me anymore. I’d sooner stay behind and provide the gadgets.”
Sophronia was relieved at that; she really would have had to put her foot down. At seventeen, Soap was grown and able to decide for himself. Vieve was too young to go breaking into vampire hives and too cheeky to take such things seriously.
The three went out the floor hatch, shimmying down the rope ladder.
“So,” said Soap, “where exactly are we going, and how do we get there?”
“My questions exactly,” said Captain Niall, coming up behind them out of the dark.
Sophronia looked at him expectantly. “Westminster Hive. Coming, sir?”
“Oh, really, young lady!” He had changed out of his evening dress to his customary greatcoat.
Sophronia blinked at him.
“Dressed like that?”
Blink, blink, blink.
“With a sootie and Lady Kingair?”
“Someone has to get Dimity and Pillover out, sir. And you can’t do it alone. Now can you?”