Fact takes no heed of human hopes...
Oct. 9th, 2013 01:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mitochondriaayaShe sighed softly and reached up to absently massage a temple; no matter how she pieced the facts together one of them remained triumphant above the others. They should not be going to India. No, rather, the man they were carefully hunting should have been caught on Bournes in London. He should never have made it across the Thames and certainly no further than Paris!
No matter the reach and influence that the East India Trading Company still held none of the agents she knew of had even whispered about the mole from parliament. And yet the quarry had eluded them; twice was stretching coincidence, three times and it spelled a grim future for this hunt. There was another hand at work here, there had to be, it was the only factor that would make sense of what she'd observed and encountered in this chase!
But who?
Certainly there were no shortage of enemies to contemplate. She worked for the crown, and the crown was quite the enchanting target, ergo most names of power and discontent had crossed her desk, and her uncle's before her, at one point or another. But who would stoop to spiriting away a functionary?
Who indeed.
That question had spun her mind in ceaseless circles for well over an hour now. It was a sign that she was tired, certainly, that she couldn't pull the details she intended from the papers but instead was mired in these useless chains. Some days she felt as if she hadn't slept well since she was a child and far before she began taking on some of her uncle's work. Information seemed to linger in her head long beyond the point when her body gave in.
She'd get nothing more from the pages before her eyes so with an act of will she dropped her hands from her temples and closed the notebook in disgust. It would be some time yet before she could sleep no matter what biology demanded so she checked her hair and stood from the small desk, swaying slightly as her body registered the movement of flight beneath her.
Ah yes, the air ship.
It was interesting to meet friends that figured so prominently in her Uncle's stories. She knew better, of course she knew better, but she'd expected men of his generation. These friends were still in their prime and she was rather certain that her uncle was quite happy to be back amidst them with the prospect of raising bedlam again.
She'd worry if the idea didn't intrigue her.
And the company, so far, was pleasant. Her uncle would laugh if she admitted such to him!
Speaking of, she cracked her cabin door open to meet her uncle's amused gaze. He knew her well, and damn the man for having more stamina than her even at his age! Biology or no she should have been able to catch him napping at least once! Alas, it was an old, old game with them. "Restless?" he asked, not unkindly.
"A touch," she admitted. "I thought to walk the deck, clear my head before sleeping."
"By all means," he gestured her grandly to the door and...pulled a stool out to set on the deck for himself. He wouldn't pace her, not here where he was convinced it was safe, but they both felt better when she was in eyesight.
She brushed a cheerful kiss against his cheek as she passed him then braced herself for the far cooler air at this altitude. It was bracing, and quite what she needed to clear her mind...or she hoped it would be after a bit of time. She didn't pace; that wouldn't be lady like and it would most certainly be rude to pound out her frustrations on a hapless deck before the night crew. No, rather she drifted in a slow circle. There were plenty of things on this ship, after all, to catch her attention and to study briefly.
Walking the deck in leisure for the first time was quite like walking in a garden; it would be an unkindness to rush the viewing. The entire ship spoke of care and maintenance; it was not overly gilded nor built for show. She rather approved, and the quiet hum of function beneath her boot heels was soothing. By her second circuit she was fiddling quietly with her pocket watch. Taking it apart and reassembling it was another of her soothing habits, the familiar motions helping to lull her further toward sleep.
Yes, this had been the correct decision, the right path, even if the early misses had frustrated her.
No matter the reach and influence that the East India Trading Company still held none of the agents she knew of had even whispered about the mole from parliament. And yet the quarry had eluded them; twice was stretching coincidence, three times and it spelled a grim future for this hunt. There was another hand at work here, there had to be, it was the only factor that would make sense of what she'd observed and encountered in this chase!
But who?
Certainly there were no shortage of enemies to contemplate. She worked for the crown, and the crown was quite the enchanting target, ergo most names of power and discontent had crossed her desk, and her uncle's before her, at one point or another. But who would stoop to spiriting away a functionary?
Who indeed.
That question had spun her mind in ceaseless circles for well over an hour now. It was a sign that she was tired, certainly, that she couldn't pull the details she intended from the papers but instead was mired in these useless chains. Some days she felt as if she hadn't slept well since she was a child and far before she began taking on some of her uncle's work. Information seemed to linger in her head long beyond the point when her body gave in.
She'd get nothing more from the pages before her eyes so with an act of will she dropped her hands from her temples and closed the notebook in disgust. It would be some time yet before she could sleep no matter what biology demanded so she checked her hair and stood from the small desk, swaying slightly as her body registered the movement of flight beneath her.
Ah yes, the air ship.
It was interesting to meet friends that figured so prominently in her Uncle's stories. She knew better, of course she knew better, but she'd expected men of his generation. These friends were still in their prime and she was rather certain that her uncle was quite happy to be back amidst them with the prospect of raising bedlam again.
She'd worry if the idea didn't intrigue her.
And the company, so far, was pleasant. Her uncle would laugh if she admitted such to him!
Speaking of, she cracked her cabin door open to meet her uncle's amused gaze. He knew her well, and damn the man for having more stamina than her even at his age! Biology or no she should have been able to catch him napping at least once! Alas, it was an old, old game with them. "Restless?" he asked, not unkindly.
"A touch," she admitted. "I thought to walk the deck, clear my head before sleeping."
"By all means," he gestured her grandly to the door and...pulled a stool out to set on the deck for himself. He wouldn't pace her, not here where he was convinced it was safe, but they both felt better when she was in eyesight.
She brushed a cheerful kiss against his cheek as she passed him then braced herself for the far cooler air at this altitude. It was bracing, and quite what she needed to clear her mind...or she hoped it would be after a bit of time. She didn't pace; that wouldn't be lady like and it would most certainly be rude to pound out her frustrations on a hapless deck before the night crew. No, rather she drifted in a slow circle. There were plenty of things on this ship, after all, to catch her attention and to study briefly.
Walking the deck in leisure for the first time was quite like walking in a garden; it would be an unkindness to rush the viewing. The entire ship spoke of care and maintenance; it was not overly gilded nor built for show. She rather approved, and the quiet hum of function beneath her boot heels was soothing. By her second circuit she was fiddling quietly with her pocket watch. Taking it apart and reassembling it was another of her soothing habits, the familiar motions helping to lull her further toward sleep.
Yes, this had been the correct decision, the right path, even if the early misses had frustrated her.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 07:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 07:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 07:11 am (UTC)Then, with a deep laugh, "Not, however, to Nevada. My cousin Kika has made it quite clear that none of the Clan is to baby him unless he comes and retires with us. Well. With her."
no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 07:28 am (UTC)Oh. Oh dear. "You may wish to tell her that he takes guardian duty quite seriously. He watched me when I paced and will not rest until I am in my rooms," she admitted. "I apologize for monopolizing his attentions so and I will tender such apology in person should she wish."
no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 07:35 am (UTC)Then, "That was a joke, although a joke in poor taste. To be honest I think that they do love each other, but conflicting mores separate them."
no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 07:40 am (UTC)"I would wish him love, but there is ever duty. Thank you for your company, Dilan, it has been quite an enlightening evening."
no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 07:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 08:05 am (UTC)Once he was free of his duty as he saw it he might return his attentions to a love?
no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 08:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 08:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 08:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 08:27 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 11:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 11:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-09 11:38 pm (UTC)He offered a distracted little bow and wandered off again, visions of clockwork dancing in his mind.