Stealing Utopia

by Tilda Booth

  The attendant gave her a cheerful, unconcerned smile. “No need to worry, Miss. All the furniture is nailed to the floor. You’re perfectly safe.”

  “Thank you,” she managed to get out, and then couldn’t find any more words as they rose into the air with all the speed of a leaf being carried by a strong gust of wind. The maze of the dockyard played out before her and she could see the paths and the patterns that she would never have recognized from the ground.

  “It’s quite something, isn’t it?” George smiled at her and reached a hand out to cover hers. She could tell he was delighted to show her this, and she couldn’t blame him. It was the most wondrous experience she’d ever had in her life. Some day she would like to show George something equally spectacular and see the delight blossom in his eyes the same way.

  The Bumblebee turned south, the morning sun turning the windows to her left a glorious yellow-pink. Jane craned her neck to look out the window. London was spread beneath them like an intricately carved puzzle box, all etched lines and grooves intersecting willy-nilly.

  “How long will it take?” she asked.

  “About ninety minutes, Miss,” said the attendant.

  “Ninety minutes? Is that possible?” Jane was astounded at how quickly one could travel by airship.

  “Oh yes, Miss. When we get closer to Worthing, you can direct us to your specific destination.”

  “Breakfast, sir, Miss.” The first attendant returned, bearing a tray laden with sausages, eggs, toast, tomatoes, mushrooms and strong black tea. He laid the plates out before them, and when Jane tried to shift it, she noticed that it stuck to the table.

  “Magnetic.” Giving his plate a little shove, George demonstrated how difficult it was to move. “Keeps things from flying around if we hit a rough patch of wind.” As if he hadn’t eaten in a week, he attacked his food, and Jane questioned, not for the first time, how he remained so thin when he ate so much. She could only nibble at a bit of toast and egg, along with the tea, because her stomach was too tied in knots over the excitement of flying and the worry of retrieving her sister and fleeing the country.

  “George, what are we going to do after we get Elizabeth?”

  “Elizabeth?” He paused, a sausage halfway to his mouth.

  “My sister.”

  “Ah.” The sausage finished the trip to his mouth and was consumed. “We’ll return to London so that I can speak to Prime Minister Huxley, and the Bumblebee can take you on to…France? You could stay with Jules until I’ve had a chance to inform the PM, and then, perhaps, I could come and meet you?”

  “I don’t…”

  His words came in a rush, cutting her off. “I know that the situation is a bit…complicated at the moment. But I think that you and I, that is, we…” His face was a deep shade of red.

  “George, you once called me an adventuress, and you were right. I’ve done things I’m not proud of, things that would embarrass you. You deserve someone suitable. Someone who doesn’t argue with you at every turn, someone who has never pointed a pistol at you, or kidnapped you or endangered your life.”

  Putting down his knife and fork, George gazed out the window at the passing sky, avoiding her eyes. After a long moment she thought that perhaps she’d convinced him, and she didn’t know what to do with the irrational dejection that threatened to overwhelm her.

  Finally he spoke. “I think there are worse things to have in my life than adventure.”

  “There are better things as well.”

  “Perhaps, but I suspect that it’s rather like an addictive drug. Now that I’ve had a taste of it, I don’t really think I could do without it.” He turned to face her. “At least give me a chance to wean myself from it gradually, instead of all at once. Let me join you in France. We don’t have to make any decisions, but I’d like the chance to get to know you better.”

  Jane bit her lip and flushed as his eyes drew to her mouth. “Are you sure?”

  “Quite sure.” He leaned forward as if to kiss her. A longing to touch him and press her mouth to his again created the same sensation in her as when the Bumblebee took to the air, and her lips parted in anticipation. A discreet cough from the attendant reminded them of his presence, and George drew back with an expression of bemused frustration. She found that she had more of an appetite after all, and the next hour was spent eating their breakfast and admiring the vistas below.

  When they neared Worthing, the attendant invited Jane into the pilot’s area to give more detailed instructions on how to reach the house where her sister lived. In just a few minutes more they landed on a grassy patch next to a quaint little cottage, complete with a stone fence around a well-tended vegetable garden.

  The attendants lowered the ramp, and Jane stepped out of the airship and onto the grass. As soon as her feet touched ground, Elizabeth, dressed in gingham and carrying a rag doll tucked under her arm, burst out of the front door of the cottage, calling “Amy! Amy!” at the top of her lungs. The girl ran with a loping, rolling gait and flung herself into Jane’s arms. Jane hugged her tightly.

  “Lizzie, you’ve gotten so big since the last time I saw you.”

  Bouncing up and down as if she were eight years old, rather than fifteen, Elizabeth picked at Jane’s sleeve over and over again. Her hair was pulled back in a child’s ponytail and her mouth was smeared with jam and chocolate. “Are we going away? You promised we would take a trip this time.”

  “We are. Just as I promised.” Jane smoothed Elizabeth’s hair, tucking it behind her sister’s ear.

  As she looked past her sister to the gleaming airship, Elizabeth’s mouth and eyes formed perfect circles. “What’s that?”

  “It’s an airship. We’re going to use it to fly away from here.”

  “Fly? Like a bird? Silly Amy.” Elizabeth laughed, a deep sound from her belly, and began to flap her hands and hoot, prancing around the machine in big awkward leaps. “Birdie! Birdie!” she chanted.

  Apprehensive, Jane studied George, who had come down the ramp and stood, watching her sister as she capered about the Bumblebee. Behind him the attendants pulled the ramp closed, apparently anticipating a long wait. As Elizabeth danced back around toward Jane, she stopped in front of George. “Who are you?”

  Without a trace of condescension, George gave a friendly little bow. “I’m George. I’m a friend of your sister’s. It’s very nice to meet you, Elizabeth.”

  Elizabeth curtsied. “How do you do? This is Regina.” She held the rag doll out to George. Jane held her breath and waited, dreading what George might say. Would he point out that Elizabeth was too old to be playing with dolls?

  George bowed again. “Pleased to meet you, Regina. May I say, what a lovely dress you have on.”

  Giggling, Elizabeth pressed Regina’s face to her ear. “Regina says thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Elizabeth turned to Jane and said, “Regina wants to know if we can leave right now.”

  Jane shook her head. “Not yet, but soon. I need to talk to Mrs. Hudson, tell her that I’m taking you away and thank her for looking after you for me.”

  “Mrs. Hudson isn’t here. Uncle Robert is taking care of me today.”

  A prickle of alarm shot through Jane. “Uncle Robert?”

  “Amy Catherine Robbins, it’s been a long time.”

  She froze at the sound of Robert Easton’s voice. He had come out of the house and leaned against the doorjamb, casually cleaning his fingernails with a knife.

  George was at her side in an instant, an arm around her. “Easton.” Jane couldn’t fathom where his calm came from.

  “Wells. Fancy meeting you here. I take it that our Amy has been a little indiscreet with her information. Among other things.” Easton’s lips curled in malice at George’s protective embrace.

  “Where is Mrs. Hudson?” Jane’s throat was dry with terror.

  The knife glinting in his hand, Robert sauntered over to them. He stopped next to Elizabeth and threw a casu
al arm around her shoulders. She smiled up at him, oblivious to the tension from the adults. He smiled back. “Mrs. Hudson had some breathing problems this morning and had to go to the doctor. I’m afraid the prognosis for improvement is negative. But Lizzie and I are getting along famously, aren’t we?”

  “Uncle Robert brought me chocolate and crumpets and jam.”

  “Why don’t you go in and have some more with Jack while your sister and I talk. I’ll call you when we’re ready to leave.” Robert sounded every bit like an indulgent uncle, but his eyes were cold.

  “All right.” Elizabeth skipped back to the house.

  Jane recovered her voice. “How did you find her?”

  “Oh really, Amy, did you think that you’d hidden that secret so very well? I’ve known for months about Lizzie, how you found her after her mother died in a poorhouse, had her shipped here four years ago.” Easton turned to George. “Lizzie is Amy’s half-sister, you know. Her mother was the village simpleton, a parlor maid in Amy’s father’s employ. Tragic story. I’m sure Amy has told you all about it, hasn’t she?”

  “I prefer Jane. I no longer go by that other name,” snapped Jane. “What do you want?”

  “At the moment, your pistol will do. I know you always keep it on your person. After that, I will require that you return with me to London.” Easton inclined his head toward George. “You too, Wells.”

  Jane pulled the Derringer from her bag and handed the weapon to him. She tried unsuccessfully to prevent her hands from trembling.

  “Why?” She swallowed her fear enough to ask, “Why not just kill us now?”

  Easton patted her on the head, and she flinched away as if she’d been burned. “Tempting as that might be, Mr. Wells is still of use to us. And it would be sloppy. Witnesses, you know. Too much information and too many people who could be questioned about the last travelers to use this incredible machine.” Easton admired the Bumblebee. “I must thank you for bringing it here. I thought we’d have a dreary train ride ahead of us, like the one that I suffered last night, and so much tiresome playacting while you plotted to escape all the way to London. But this way you arrived so much sooner than expected, and I will have the pleasure of experiencing a flying conveyance.”

  Reaching into his pocket, Easton pulled out a thumb-sized etheric force transmitter. “Jack, bring Lizzie out. We’re all going on a little trip.”

  “Please leave her out of it. She’s just a little girl; she doesn’t know anything.” Jane forced herself to touch his arm with a pleading gesture.

  “But she’ll be so useful for making sure that you behave.” Removing her hand from his sleeve, Easton chucked her under the chin. “Smile now, we don’t want to alarm Lizzie. If she were to become distressed, I might have to be very stern with her.”

  Elizabeth skipped back out of the cottage, holding on to Jack’s hand. Glaring at Jane, he rubbed the back of his skull. “Jane,” said Easton, “you remember Jack, don’t you? I’m afraid he’s a little fuzzy on the details of your last meeting, but maybe you’ll have an opportunity to catch up on old times later.”

  With clear menace, Jack ran a hand through Lizzie’s hair.

  “Shall we board?” Easton walked up to the airship and pushed the call button next to the entrance.

  The door opened and one of the attendants looked out, spotting George. “Ready to go so soon, sir?”

  George’s arm tightened around Jane again. “Yes. I’m afraid we’ve picked up a few more passengers.”

  The attendant smiled. “No trouble at all, sir. There’s room.” The other attendant joined him and they lowered the ramp to the ground.

  Squealing with delight, Lizzie pulled Jack by the hand into the ship. The Bumblebee attendants helped the two find their seats as Easton motioned for George and Jane to precede him. As Easton stepped behind Jane, she heard the distinctive click of the Derringer being cocked as he whispered in her ear, “We have all the advantages, my dear, and you have none. It would be a shame if these men or your sister were to suffer the brunt of any foolishness on your part.”

  Inside the airship, Lizzie introduced herself to the attendants. “I’m Elizabeth, but you may call me Lizzie. And this is Regina.” She flitted all around the cabin, asking questions and exclaiming over every little detail. The attendants seemed happy to indulge her, though Jane caught a pitying look exchanged between the two of them as her sister babbled to her doll and pressed Regina’s painted face to the windows. The attendants had to warn her to stay in her seat as the ship lifted into the air with a lurch.

  “Oh, Amy, it’s like we’re angels.” Lizzie closed her eyes in ecstasy. “Do you think we’ll fly up to my mama?”

  “I’m sure she’s watching us right now.” With difficulty, Jane kept her voice steady.

  Lizzie’s eyes popped open and she pressed her face to the window closest to her. “Maybe I will see her.” She proceeded to focus on the passing sky as if the rest of the cabin had fallen away along with the cottage by the sea.

  “Now that you’ve met little Lizzie, you can perhaps understand our fair Jane’s interest in Nissl and Alzheimer’s work at cataloguing the human brain.”

  “Shut up, Easton.” George turned to Jane and continued in a low voice, “Has she always…?”

  Jane heard the care in his whisper. The way it dropped and wrapped around her reminded her of how he’d touched her that morning. All at once it was vitally important to her that he understood her fears and her love for her sister.

  “She’s developed more slowly than other children. It’s hard for her to learn things the first time. When I found her and brought her to Worthing four years ago, she hadn’t had any schooling at all. She’s only just begun to read, though she’s worked very hard at it.”

  “And you’re concerned that Nissl’s work will impede her future?”

  Turning to him, she put her hands on his, fingers wrapping around his wrists. “She’s slow, but she’s not uneducable. I know it. She can be clever with the people she loves. Sometimes she knows what I’m going to say before I can even find the words. And she could have such a better life, maybe even marry, but who would have her if she were to be labeled a mental defective? The PM’s brain scientists aren’t interested in talking to her. They aren’t interested in seeing what makes her unique and valuable. They are only interested in measuring the electrical impulses in her brain and then sorting her into her proper class, like livestock at a country fair.”

  George caressed her, his touch gentle as he pressed against her palms. “But Nissl’s research could lead to improving her, helping her brain work more efficiently.”

  Jane jerked her hands out of his grasp. “Oh, George, you can be so blind. The government doesn’t need more smart people; it only needs to better find those who already exist. It will always need more people content to follow blindly and do the drudgery the privileged don’t want to be bothered with. Nissl and Alzheimer are only working on the tools to justify keeping those people in their proper place. Or eliminating them if they become too much of a burden.”

  “The Prime Minister is a good man, and so are those brain scientists you speak of so scathingly. They are my friends.”

  Sadness welled inside her. “Sometimes the greatest evils are done by good men in the name of good causes.”

  “The course of true love never did run smooth,” mocked Easton from his chair. “I’m afraid you’re losing the lady to her principles.”

  “At least I have principles,” Jane shot back.

  Easton let out a dramatic sigh. “I’m afraid she’s unhappy with both of us.”

  Refusing to rise to the bait, Jane turned her face away and looked out into clouds, passing the rest of the trip in silence.

  Chapter Nine

  Thanks to the wind, the trip back to London was even shorter than it had been out to Worthing. Jane saw the spires and steeples of London’s churches on the horizon and her heart sank. Once in London it would be all too easy to make her and Lizzie
disappear, and George as well. After all, he’d already been missing several days, and only Tesla was aware that he had resurfaced. She bit her lip and glanced sidelong at George. Despite their earlier argument, she couldn’t bear the thought that she had dragged him into this mess, that she might never see him again or that his beautiful body, so lean and strong under her hands just a few hours ago, could be lying cold and dead somewhere just a few hours from now.

  He wasn’t looking at her. His chin was sunk down near his chest and he appeared to be deep in thought. But he must have felt her staring, because all at once he looked up, straight into her eyes, and his expression warmed her despite their dire circumstances.

  As the attendants began moving about the cabin in preparation for landing, the brown-green ribbon of the Thames loomed large beneath her window. One of the attendants touched Elizabeth on the shoulder, startling her out of her trance-like state.

  “We’re landing, Miss.”

  Elizabeth gave him a beatific smile. “Mama must be happy now. It’s so very beautiful up in Heaven, isn’t it?”

  Jane hugged her sister. “Yes, my sweet.”

  “Touching, but we really must be going.” Under the cover of his jacket, Easton motioned with the Derringer to the exit.

  The attendants once again opened the door and lowered the ramp, beaming at them as they decamped. “I hope we shall have the pleasure of flying with you again, Miss Elizabeth,” one of them said, and Lizzie gave him a hug before she ran headlong out to the dock.

  “Lizzie, wait.” Jane ran after her sister, coming to a halt just outside the ship as she caught Elizabeth by the arm. She almost gasped. Standing at the perimeter were Nikola Tesla and two policemen.