"Old? Who are you calling old?"
Evangeline launched the rope into the air, spinning the noose over her head and picking up speed. She tossed the rope towards Hank, the lasso slipping over his shoulders like a quoit over a pin.
"Hey." He moaned as Evangeline tugged the rope back tightly, securing his arms. "How'd you learn to muster cattle?"
"She is a lady of many talents," called out a voice.
Evangeline, the Professor and Hank turned to see a figure standing in the open door of the large airship. It was Lady Breckenridge-Rice, surrounded by smoke. Evangeline sighed.
"I could do with some help here, honey." Hank struggled.
The Professor raced back to the controls and pushed down on the lever. Evangeline ran to the dial for more gas.
"Hold tight there, Hank," Lady Breckenridge-Rice said, laughing heartily.
"Hurry," Evangeline muttered as the two ships separated at the pace of a snail. "Get a move on, old girl."
"Coming."
Lady Breckenridge-Rice stretched out her arms and leapt from the airship door, a perfect swan dive into the open night sky. Evangeline held her breath as the Lady Alchemist glided through the air, closer and closer to their dirigible. Evangeline narrowed her eyes and squared her stance, ready to take on Lady Breckenridge-Rice once again.
But the Lady Alchemist sailed right past their little airship.
"Next time!" she called as she soared, quickly falling out of view.
Evangeline ran to the side of the ship but Lady Violetta Breckenridge-Rice was gone, disappearing into the blackness of the night sky.
"She got away again," Evangeline grumbled.
The Professor chuckled.
"Looks like your Lady friend has flown the coop, Mister Buchanan."
Hank grunted.
Bam!
The mystery airship exploded, a roaring great fireball bursting across the sky. They ducked as a wave of heat blasted over their heads. The ship tearing into a million pieces, floating about like black snow.
The force of the explosion smashed into the smaller airship, shunting them towards the ground.
"Father?" Evangeline gasped. The wind howled in her ears as the dirigible picked up speed, charging towards the cobbled streets below.
"Yes. I'm well aware." The Professor wrenched at the lever. "Just a little sticky."
"Quickly, Monty. Fix it, will ya?" Hank said. "I don't wanna die."
"It's not working." The Professor groaned and pulled, but the lever held firm.
"I've got an idea." Evangeline took the lever from her father's hands. "Hold on. It might not work."
"Does she know what she's doing?" Hank gulped as he and the Professor clutched onto the sides with white knuckles.
"Of course she does. She's my daughter." The Professor thrust out his chin.
"Here we go," Evangeline shouted.
The ship swerved sharply to the left, tilting and tipping. The tiled roofs, brick chimneys and cobbled streets rushing far too quickly towards them. Evangeline closed her eyes tight and hoped she was right.
Thud!
The ship came to a shuddering stop. Yowling, Hank skidded across the deck on his shoulder. The Professor and Evangeline toppling over and landing on top of the cursing American.
"Get off me," Hank grumbled.
"It worked." The Professor grinned and bounced up to his feet.
Evangeline smoothed back her hair. Just as she calculated, the iron spire of a church steeple pierced right through the balloon, skewering the ship in place. But her celebration was cut short. Gas hissing from the hole like a kettle on the boil.
"Quickly." The Professor held out his hand. "Hydrogen."
Evangeline jumped over the side of the ship, onto the tiled roof of the church.
"You're not going anywhere, Buchanan." The Professor shoved Hank overboard and followed closely behind him, his clockwork hand clamped firmly on the rogue's shoulder.
"But Monty, old friend..." Hank raised his hands.
"Do be quiet," the Professor and Evangeline said in unison.
Hank hung his head.
"Well done, my dear," the Professor said, his eyes gleaming. "We solved the mystery of the airship and captured the perpetrator."
"Well, one of them," Evangeline said, shaking her head. "My first day as your assistant has been rather eventful."
"Indeed." The Professor continued, "Don't expect excitement like this every day."
"Of course not, Father." Evangeline said. But in her heart, she knew her father was wrong. There would be many more adventures to come. She was sure of it.
"She would be proud of you," her father said, squeezing Evangeline's hand.
"And you, Father." She squeezed back.
"I hope so."
Waiting for Chief Inspector Pensnett and his men to arrive, the three of them sat on the church roof, admiring the Camberwell skyline. Evangeline sighed. The moon began to rise and everything was in its proper place in the Antipodean sky. For now.
Chapter 19
"Terrific job, Professor," Chief Inspector Pensnett said, placing down his teacup. "Governor Normanby is extremely pleased with your assistance in this matter."
"Anything to help." The Professor smiled, reaching out and patting Evangeline on the arm. "Although I cannot take all the credit. I couldn't have done it without my assistant."
"Thanks to you and Miss Evangeline, Mister Buchanan will be deported back to New York tomorrow."
Evangeline beamed, crunching into another gingersnap.
"Good riddance," said the Professor.
"The Egmere Brothers are denying all knowledge of Mister Buchanan. And with the explosion of the airship, we do not have any hard proof of their involvement. But we will be keeping a close eye on them. They will have to mind their Ps and Qs from now on."
Evangeline frowned. She wondered about Albion Middlehall's role in this caper. Had she underestimated him? Was he in league with Hank Buchanan and the Lady Alchemist? Perhaps he was not as innocent and trustworthy as he appeared. She would have to keep a close eye on him in future.
“But there was more than one. What of the other airships?” the Professor said. “And the woman?”
"There’s been reports of strange lights from Wynyard and Broken Hill and across the Tasman in Dunedin and Greymouth but unfortunately, no word of Buchanan’s accomplice. She’s disappeared into thin air."
Evangeline pinched her lips together, robbed of another chance to bring the slippery Lady Alchemist to justice. But Evangeline knew in her bones this was not their last encounter.
But one mystery remained. A month ago Evangeline received a letter from Lady Breckenridge-Rice. Her letter referred to a mutual friend, planning to pay Evangeline a visit. Who was this mysterious friend? It couldn't be Hank Buchanan. He knew nothing of Evangeline until yesterday. If not Hank, who? Who was on their way?
Evangeline shuddered, hoping with all her heart it was not him, the man she never wanted to set eyes on again.
"You never did explain your acquaintance with that woman? She seemed to know you rather well," the Professor asked Evangeline, passing the plate of raspberry tarts and lowering his voice to a whisper. "Or that other strange business with your hands?”
"Stories for another day, Father," Evangeline said, popping another pastry into her mouth. The Professor was not the only one with secrets.
"When I spoke to the Governor," Chief Inspector Pensnett said, "he mentioned you were close to finalising your secret project."
"Oh, yes. I'm making the final adjustments."
Evangeline perked up in her seat. The secret behind the moving tarpaulin in the laboratory-workshop would be finally unveiled?
"Next week. In fact." The Professor grinned.
"As your assistant, I presume I get an early viewing?" Evangeline said, leaning forward with wide eyes.
"Not this time, m'dear. I am sworn to secrecy. You'll have to wait like everyone else."
Evangeline sigh
ed. Being patient was such a bore.
Perhaps she could sneak downstairs and catch a glimpse before the great unveiling. Maybe later but first things first. She reached for another raspberry tart. They were rather good.
Thank you for reading
The Antics of Evangeline
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***
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For updates and news, connect with Madeleine D'Este at:
www.madeleinedeste.com
@madeleine_deste
About the Author
Madeleine D'Este grew up in Tasmania and is now based in Melbourne. After studying law (but never practising) and travelling the world, Madeleine now lives a double life, working in corporate Australia by day and writing female-led speculative fiction by night.
The Antics of Evangeline is a collection of the first four novellas set in "Marvellous Melbourne."
Published Titles
Evangeline and the Alchemist
Evangeline and the Bunyip
Evangeline and the Spiritualist
Evangeline and the Mysterious Lights
The Antics of Evangeline: Collection No.1
Acknowledgments
It takes a community to write a book.
I'd like to thank my beta readers for their valuable advice, encouragement and occasional tough love; Claire d'Este, Karen Jakubec, my British Science Fiction Association Orbit critique group (Steve Turnbull, John Keane, Alex Weinle, Dom Dulley and Terry Jackman), Andrew Clarke, Romy Winter and extra special thanks to Scott McAteer.
Thanks to Vanessa Ricci-Thode for her magical editing skills and the Deranged Doctor Design team for their design skills.
Finally, thanks to the following writers who inspired the Evangeline stories; all the writers of classic Dr Who, Joss Whedon, Gail Carriger and Lucy Maud Montgomery.
The Antics of Evangeline: Collection 1: Mystery and Mayhem in steampunk Melbourne Page 28
