Love Never Dies

by Pelaam

  For all his assurances, Midnight could see the man was deathly afraid. He opted to pretend he hadn’t noticed.

  “We’re due to have a beautiful day. You’ll hardly be aware of the ship rising, and it should be smoother sailing than you’d get on the ocean. When you come up on deck, stay away from the rails. Then you can believe you’re sailing on water.”

  “I’ll do that.” George nodded. “I appreciate everything you’ve done to make me feel comfortable. You’re a good man. The shame is that Master Dryden doesn’t even want to be here, so he’ll be worse than usual. But Miss Drusilla was even willing to forgo a ring, if he’d only agree to this as an engagement gift.”

  “Every little I hear of this man makes me dislike him that much more.” Midnight shrugged. “But at least I only have to tolerate him for a few hours. You, and Miss Dru, have my sympathy. I need to go back in deck and get us ready.”

  “I’ll see you later. When his nibs demands to be fed, no doubt.” George jerked his head in the direction of the upper deck and Midnight chuckled.

  “You just remember, stay away from the rails and you’ll think you’re on the ocean. I promise.” Midnight hurried away, eager to get the trip under way. The sooner we get airborne, the sooner we can say goodbye to Mr Dryden Brewer.

  Chapter 3

  “All ready.” The moment he was back on deck, Midnight waved at his sister.

  “Excellent. If you would care to detach the anchors, Midnight, then take over the wheel, and we’ll prepare to take off.”

  “Aye, Captain.” Just as Midnight reached out for the lever to retract the boarding ramp, he spotted a second car speeding toward them and stopped. There’s nowhere else but here they could be going to. The signs are very specific. Perhaps they need to see Dryden. He looks like he may be a businessman.

  The car’s copper body shone brightly enough, but in addition, its headlights flashed, and its horn blared repeatedly. A dark-haired man was leaning out of the passenger window waving and shouting like a madman, although it was impossible to hear what he was yelling at that distance. Midnight glanced at his sister, but Aurora just shrugged, clearly as bewildered at he was.

  “Who is it?” Aurora pursed her lips. “I don’t recognise him.”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never seen him before, but he seems in quite a state.” Midnight settled his goggles in place, twisting the lenses to focus on the stranger. Midnight was pleased to see that the man’s muttonchops and beard were well-trimmed and didn’t obscure his mouth. “Reading his lips, he’s shouting for us to stop and wait. It’s important.”

  “Very well.” Aurora folded her arms. “We’ll wait. We can easily make up time.”

  Even as the car slowed down, the dark-haired man clambered out of the car’s window and as soon as he hit the ground he ran toward the ship. He didn’t stop when he reached the boarding ramp, barrelling up it to where Aurora stood like a sentinel, feet apart and arms folded.

  “No time to waste. We need a ride aboard your vessel. Name’s Voltaire Crevin.” The man stuck out a hand and Aurora stared at it then took it in a brief shake.

  “I’m the captain of this ship, Aurora Pendragon. Sorry, but my vessel is chartered for today. I can take you tomorrow. Good day, sir.”

  “Yes, I’m sure it is. Come on, Tresilian. They’re going.” Voltaire twisted enough to look over his shoulder and waved at the driver of the car. Another man had got out of the vehicle was already running, a carpetbag in each hand.

  Watching Tresilian run, Midnight’s stomach flipped. The man’s hair was an unruly mop of an amazing shade of auburn, but with his square chin, broad shoulders, and long, lean legs, he was the epitome of every heroic adventurer that Midnight had read about.

  He was so preoccupied with Tresilian, that his attention was temporarily diverted from Voltaire. As the distance between them closed, the man looked directly at Midnight with the most amazing ocean-blue eyes, and this time Midnight forgot to breathe. His sister’s angry voice immediately jolted him back to what was happening on the ship.

  “Excuse me. Did you not hear, sir?” Aurora’s voice had taken on the icy tone that Midnight recognised as trouble, with a capital T. “The ship is already chartered.”

  “Yes, yes. I’ll pay double. No, it’s more important than that. I’ll pay treble your fee. Come on, Tresilian.” Voltaire yelled out, but Tresilian was already powering up the ramp.

  Unable to tear his gaze away, Midnight stared as Tresilian threw one bag on board, then jumped from the ramp, onto the ship’s rail, and vaulted onto the deck. Midnight took a couple of steps back but caught his heel on something and started to fall.

  But before he could hit the ground, he was swept up and suddenly Tresilian’s face was only inches from his own. The man grinned broadly.

  “Take a care. Wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”

  “Take your hands off my brother this instant.” Aurora shouted out. “Hey! How dare you!”

  The moment Aurora’s attention had been diverted to Midnight’s mishap, Voltaire had dodged around her and was already bowing low to Dryden as Drusilla wandered over to the men.

  “I really am very sorry. You look such an amazing couple, and what a wonderful way to spend your day. How about I pay for your trip to make up for my being here?”

  “I really don’t—” Drusilla began to speak, but Dryden interrupted.

  “Thank you and we accept. Oh, and you need to pay the fare for my servant, as well.”

  “Fine. Absolutely fine. Consider it done.” Voltaire turned to Aurora. “Sorted. Triple fare for Tresilian and me, and I’ll pay for this charming couple and their servant,” Voltaire looked all around him and shrugged. “Wherever he is. Can we take off now please, Captain?”

  For a moment, Midnight thought Aurora was going to order Voltaire off her ship, but instead his sister turned slowly away from Voltaire to Drusilla.

  “Are you quite certain about this, Miss Dru? After all, this meant to be your engagement treat.”

  “Yes, we’re sure.” Dryden stuck his thumbs in his waistcoat. “No trouble at all, is it, my dear?”

  “No. None.” Drusilla didn’t even look at Dryden, but the flatness of her tone spoke volumes to Midnight. Even Voltaire, as oblivious as he seemed to Aurora’s anger, coughed and started to sidle away.

  “Well, then, I’ll just sit over here. Leave you good people in peace. Tresilian, do you have the, ah…you know?”

  “Yes, I know and yes, I do.” Tresilian released Midnight’s arm. “Excuse me.”

  “Uh, yes.” Embarrassment threatened to incinerate Midnight. He hadn’t even noticed Tresilian was still holding his arm. “I…I um, have to deal with the ramp, and the anchors.” Muttering more to himself than to the man whose chuckle made him shiver in a very pleasant way, Midnight put distance between them.

  Chapter 4

  While Midnight retracted the ramp, the cogs and wheels whirring softly, Aurora glowered at Voltaire’s back.

  “Loud mouthed, arrogant—”

  “He’s very dashing, isn’t he?” Drusilla leaned in close and whispered directly into Aurora’s ear, stopping her dead. “I mean, I know I have a fiancé, but Voltaire’s very handsome, and clearly a man of action. Unfortunately, the most Dryden does is hunt. I like to ride, but I’d never hunt, and he doesn’t ride unless he’s hunting.”

  “Miss Dru,” Aurora sighed as she turned to the blonde. “Are you quite sure you’re making the right decision regarding your future?”

  “I didn’t make the decision at all.” Drusilla’s sky-blue eyes dulled as she spoke, and the revelation took the wind out of Aurora’s sails.

  “I don’t understand. How can you be engaged to a man and not have made the decision?” Aurora asked.

  “Well, the engagement was all arranged by my father and Dryden’s. My mother died a few years back, you see, and Father felt that at twenty-two I should be married. Especially since he’s an older man and wanted to ensure I was well-provided f
or. Since Dryden’s father is a good friend of his, and the family a good, solid one with a well-respected name, it was all arranged while I was out of the country. Everything. Down to the bridesmaids, who are his cousins, and the dress his mother picked for me. I feel more like a spectator than a participant.”

  “Miss Dru, it’s none of my business, but it sounds to me that you have your whole life ahead of you.” Aurora looked over toward Dryden. “And if he doesn’t lift your wings and make your heart soar, then he’s not the one for you. But only you can make that decision.”

  “Yes, I know. But my father’s so happy everything is sorted.” Dru sighed. “He was just looking out for me, like he’s always done.”

  “That’s all well and good.” Aurora patted Dru’s shoulder. “But he won’t be around forever, and I think if he knew the truth about the kind of man Dryden is…well, I think he’d want your happiness above all else, don’t you? Are you willing to sacrifice the rest of your life to marry a man who’s shown you neither respect nor affection from the moment you and he set foot aboard my ship?” Aurora laid her hand on Dru’s arm and leaned in close to drop her voice. “If you need a friend, you can count on me. But for now, I just want you to relax, put your trust in us, and enjoy a flight to see a pterodactyl.”

  “Thank you.” To Aurora’s shock, Dru pecked a kiss to Aurora’s cheek. “I’ve so looked forward to this. As for Dryden, well, he has a few months yet to prove himself a different man. I have time to see if he can change for the better. Oh, we’re moving.”

  Aurora glanced around to see that Midnight had finally retracted the ship’s ramp and deactivated the magnetic anchors from the ship to the ground. All that was left was to switch off the ground-based moorings.

  “Midnight, release the last anchors and let’s be away.” Aurora called out, giving him an order that would enable the ship to take flight. It’s already proven to be more of an adventure than I expected, and that’s before we even take off.

  The ship rose smoothly, and Aurora beamed with pride at her brother. He may be many irritating things, but he’s still a talented, intelligent, and caring man. Unlike so many others. Aurora aimed a venomous glance at Voltaire who noticed, but his wide, almost boyish, smile never faltered. The man has the hide of a rhinoceros, and the manners to match.

  To Aurora’s annoyance, Voltaire seemed unable to sit or stand still. Instead he paced the boat, fore to aft, around in a circle, and from side to side. Tresilian seemed almost as bad. Then they’d huddle together. At least they would when Tresilian wasn’t sniffing around Midnight. Why my brother would even waste his breath talking with that man, I’ll never know.

  Although both men peered over the rails, Aurora was certain they weren’t taking the opportunity to admire the view or partake in sight-seeing and couldn’t fathom why such men would want to go on a pterodactyl photograph shoot.

  Much less why they had been prepared to pay such ridiculous amounts of money to participate in hers. With an impatient tsk at the way Voltaire Crevin seemed to be dominating her thoughts, Aurora turned her back on the irritating man and focused ahead, her hands clasped tightly behind her back.

  * * * *

  That a man like Tresilian would frequently come and chat to him surprised Midnight, and, if he were honest, he couldn’t deny that he liked having the man near him. The pleasurable sensations he enjoyed when Tresilian spoke, laughed, or even looked at him in a certain way, more than outweighed those of nervousness.

  “How long until we reach your pterodactyl’s nest?” Tresilian asked.

  “Not long now. Then we turn around and head home. I can’t understand why you and Voltaire would pay so much for something that would cost you so much less had you waited another day.”

  “We don’t have that much time.”

  “What?” Midnight asked and Tresilian shrugged.

  “Sorry, slip of the tongue. We didn’t want to wait all that time.” He ambled toward Voltaire and Midnight stared after him. Finally, Midnight made sure to focus on steering the ship. For the first time since they came on board, I feel Tresilian isn’t telling the truth. That the reality is they don’t have time. But what does that mean?

  However, it seemed Tresilian couldn’t stay away for long and soon came back to stand close to Midnight.

  “You’re not seeing Voltaire at his best.” Tresilian leaned on the rail. And Midnight’s gaze was drawn to a tuft of dark hair that peeked over the ‘v’ of the bigger man’s shirt. With an effort of will he looked up and met Tresilian’s warm gaze.

  “It’s not me that you, or he, should worry about.” Midnight shrugged. “My sister is furious, and she doesn’t suffer fools gladly. It’s already annoyed her that Miss Dru was happy to have you both on board.”

  “We’re not that bad, surely.” Tresilian was clearly attempting puppy-dog eyes, but given he was such a tall, powerfully built man, Midnight couldn’t help but laugh.

  “No, I suppose you’re not. We’re nearly there.” Midnight pointed at the rock on which QC nested. Even as he did, the pterodactyl took to the air to soar around the ship, calling out as she flew past. “We’ll be there soon, impatient girl.” Midnight waved and QC soared away, only to come back again.

  “She knows you.” Tresilian cocked his head as he gazed down at Midnight. “The way a dog knows its master. I’d swear the thing was pleased to see you.”

  “She has a lonely life.” Midnight shrugged. “We saved her egg from a poacher. We didn’t know she was such a different type of pterodactyl. With her extended neck, I named her after the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent. QC for short. Aurora teases me mercilessly since QC has no feathers.”

  “I like the name. I think it’s very fitting. Excuse me, Voltaire wants me.”

  Another wave of warmth suffused Midnight, as much from the words as from the smile Tresilian gave as he walked away. How is it possible to be so affected by a glance, a word, or a simple curve of the lips? A vision of those lips pressing against his own made Midnight shiver with anticipation. Stop being such an idiot, Midnight. He chastised himself firmly. There is no way that a man like Tresilian would be interested in you.

  Chapter 5

  As far as Midnight was concerned, nothing else of any concern, took place as they continued the flight to QC’s island nest. Once there, the great pterodactyl behaved impeccably for the photographs.

  With a smirk hidden behind his hand, Midnight remember how eager Dru had been to step into the nest, and how pale-faced Dryden had been. I’m quite sure if Voltaire hadn’t offered to come and stand beside Dru, Dryden would never have taken the last step. Still the photographs will be excellent.

  As they were preparing to leave, Midnight made sure to reward QC with some meaty titbits, before Aurora returned to her ship’s wheel, and manoeuvred the vessel ready to return home.

  Looking around, Midnight frowned when he noticed the way Voltaire and Tresilian kept checking their pocket watches, and a great deal of adamant nodding and equally earnest headshaking took place between the men.

  More than once Midnight caught Tresilian glancing in his direction, an expression of regret crossing his rugged features, and Midnight’s stomach knotted with an unnamed fear.

  His normal smile in place, Voltaire sauntered over to Dryden, engaging him in conversation. But by the darkening expression on the pudgy man’s face, whatever Voltaire was saying wasn’t agreeable to him.

  Finally, Dryden stood up and stomped toward Aurora. He pointed at Voltaire.

  “Not content with taking over this flight, for which I accept he’s paid, Mr Crevin now wants us to divert our course and head to Italy. As I said to you, Captain, the food I brought is hardly enough for a trip taking several days, and I have places to be.”

  “Mr Crevin.” Aurora faced Voltaire, arms folded and her expression stern. “Although the ship can get that far, we, too, have to return home as no one is expecting us to be away more than a few hours. I don’t believe we have any bookings after
today, I’d be prepared to negotiate terms with you for tomorrow or the day after.”

  “All right, all right.” Voltaire held up his hands. “France. Will you take us to France? We really can’t wait even half a day. I admit that you’d be late getting back, you could still complete that trip in a day.” He reached into his inside pocket and pulled out a thick wad of notes. So thick that even Dryden’s eyes went wide.

  “Well, that changes things.” Dryden’s gaze never left the notes. “I can still join the hunt late tomorrow. It’s not until lunchtime. Very well, Mr Crevin. I’ll work out a cost for my time for you.”

  For a moment, Midnight thought Aurora would refuse. But the extra revenue would come in extremely useful for them, and since Dryden had already capitulated, there seemed little point in her arguing further.

  “Very well.” Aurora nodded. “We’ll go as far as Calais. Then you and your friend can find another transport, and we shall return home.” Turning on her heel, she stomped away, purposely heading in the opposite direction to Voltaire, and Midnight sighed heavily

  “She’s not happy with us, is she?” Tresilian’s lips were twisted into a wry smile and Midnight huffed a laugh.

  “That’s an understatement.”

  “No one else minds, since Voltaire’s handsomely compensating them.” Tresilian looked across the ship to where Dryden say next to Dru, smiling widely. “I think there’s very little that man wouldn’t agree to if the price was high enough.”

  “I believe you’re right.” Midnight got the same feeling about the man, but Dryden wasn’t his concern. “This is the second time he’s forced my sister to do something she didn’t want; boarding the ship, and now he’s changed where we were heading. Add to that it’s now a much longer flight than we anticipated, and I don’t believe he’s even being open about just where we are headed. What can be so important that you and he boarded us with all the finesse of…of Bluebeard?”

  “Voltaire the pirate.” Tresilian laughed loudly. “Oh, he’ll love that.”