The Revenant Express - (Newbury and Hobbes 5)

by George Mann

“Go on, I want to hear it all,” said Veronica.

  “You’re not too tired?”

  “I’ve been asleep for weeks. It’s the least you can do.”

  “Oh, the least!” Amelia propped herself on the edge of the bed and took Veronica’s hand as she recited her tale.

  Veronica listened intently, shaking her head and squeezing Amelia’s hand when she learned about Petunia Wren, and the fungus, and everything that Amelia had been through while Newbury dealt with the cultist and the revenants.

  “Oh, Amelia,” said Veronica, when she’d finished her story. “I’m so terribly sorry.”

  “Whatever for?”

  “For everything you went through, of course! All because of me.”

  Amelia shook her head. “I did it because I wanted to do my bit, to help save you. Sir Maurice could never have managed alone.”

  “But Petunia Wren, thinking you were me … seeking revenge for what I’d done.” Veronica looked pained.

  “Don’t you see? We were lucky it was me, and not you. If she’d managed to get to you … well, you wouldn’t be here now,” said Amelia.

  “You might have died. I’ve seen what that fungus can do,” countered Veronica.

  “I feel better than I ever have, Veronica. My condition … it’s gone. Sir Maurice says it might yet come back, but I don’t think it will. Whatever that fungus did to me, I’m grateful for it. Isn’t that the best revenge against people like Petunia Wren? To defy them, to live on? Just as you’re doing, with your brand-new heart.”

  “You’ve grown wise all of a sudden, Sister,” said Veronica. “I’m so grateful, and so proud.” She laughed. “So tell me, Constance Markham, where did that come from?”

  “I don’t know … I just sort of blurted it out, and it stuck.”

  “It’s a good name. It suits you.”

  “I’m thinking of keeping it,” said Amelia.

  “Now that’s a conversation for later,” said Veronica. She looked suddenly tired. “Now go and fetch Newbury, would you? I’m feeling sleepy, but I’d like to see him before I get some more rest.”

  “Of course.” Amelia leaned forward and kissed Veronica on the forehead again. “It’s good to see you, Sister.”

  “Not as good as it is to see you,” said Veronica, with a smile.

  CHAPTER

  32

  “Did you really do all of that?”

  He was sitting by her bedside on a stool he’d brought from the other room, his hands folded upon his lap. He hadn’t taken his gaze from her once since he’d entered the room, and she had the odd sensation that her new mechanised heart was quickening, even though she was sure that was impossible.

  “All of what?” he said, with a smile.

  “You went all the way to St. Petersburg, risked all of that, for me?”

  “Do you even have to ask?”

  “No. I just…” She stopped for a moment to catch her breath. “Maurice, you gave me a heart.”

  Newbury grinned. “Your sister had a lot to do with it, too, you know.”

  “I know. She told me. About the Cabal, about Petunia Wren … I’ve missed so much.” She looked away, suddenly morose.

  “What is it? Tell me what you’re thinking? I can see there’s something on your mind.”

  She met his gaze. “It’s just … everything that’s happened to her, to Amelia. It’s all because of me. Those horrors she went through at the Grayling Institute, her life trapped in Malbury Cross, and now this, being mistaken for me, having to go through all of that…” She reached out her hand, and Newbury took it. “I just wonder if I do her more harm than good; if she’d be better off without me. And now there’s all this ‘Constance Markham’ business, too, and I just do—”

  “Stop.” Newbury reached over and gently put his finger to her lips. “You’re her sister. You mean everything to her. You’re all she’s got. And don’t you even think about trying to take that away from her.” He smiled. “All those years, locked away in those terrible institutions … is it surprising that she wants a little taste of the world? And why shouldn’t she?” He looked wistful. “You should have seen her, Veronica. She did you proud.”

  Veronica put her hand on Newbury’s arm. He felt warm and familiar, comforting. “I’m not the only one she’s got,” she said. “She’s lucky to have you. We both are.”

  “That’s more like it,” said Newbury, laughing.

  Her smile was fleeting. She swallowed, unable to dispel the shadow she could feel settling over her mood. “There’s something else I need to tell you,” she said.

  “Anything.”

  She was silent for a moment, and she had a notion she could hear the faint ticking of her new heart, like the workings of a distant clock, measuring out the seconds of her life. “It’s Sir Charles. I know you’re not going to want to hear this, Maurice, but he’s mixed up in something. Maybe something terrible. I saw him handing files to Professor Angelchrist. He denied it when I confronted him about it. I’m worried he no longer has your best interests at heart.”

  “Oh, Veronica,” he said, his face creasing in concern. “I’m so sorry. You’ve got it all wrong.”

  “Yes, I thought that’s what you’d say. That’s why I went to get proof. That’s when it happened, you see. That’s when…” She trailed off. He knew exactly what she meant.

  “No, that’s not it.” He looked pained. “It’s all my fault. I should have told you. I was trying to protect you.”

  “Told me what?”

  “You see; I know what Charles and Angelchrist are up to. But it’s dangerous. More dangerous than anything we’ve been involved in before.” He looked over his shoulder to make sure they weren’t being overheard. “It’s this new agency, Angelchrist’s so-called Secret Service. They know everything the Queen is up to, about the Grayling Institute, about August Warlow and his boltheads, everything. They’re working on a project, an initiative…” He stopped suddenly, catching himself. “But we can talk about that later, when you’re better.”

  She wanted to tell him no, to carry on, but she knew he was right. If things were as dangerous as he suggested, then the Fixer’s house wasn’t the safest place to discuss it. And besides, she was feeling so tired. “So Sir Charles didn’t have anything to do with the Executioner? All that business with the assassinations?”

  “Charles? No, of course not! That was the Prince of Wales.”

  Veronica looked up at him, confused. “The Prince of Wales!” She sighed. “I’ve been such a fool,” she said.

  “No. Never that. But next time, talk to me. I only have your best interests at heart, Veronica. I care about you so very much. I…”

  There was a rap at the door.

  Veronica sighed. “Yes?”

  The Fixer entered the room. He was still wearing his bloody smock, and Veronica wondered if he ever took the thing off. “Sir Charles Bainbridge is here to see you both,” he said.

  Newbury glanced at Veronica. “Do you want to see him? I can explain everything if you’d rather not.”

  “No, no. Of course I want to see him,” said Veronica. She nodded to the Fixer. “Ask him to come in.”

  He inclined his head, and left.

  “You were saying?” said Veronica. She still had hold of Newbury’s hand.

  “It’ll keep,” he said. “Until you’re well. Then we can talk properly, about the future.”

  Veronica smiled. “Yes, let’s do that.”

  There was another rap at the door, this time louder, and made distinctive by the use of a cane.

  “Come in, Charles,” called Newbury. “I hope you’ve brought flowers.”

  Bainbridge blundered through the doorway, looking somewhat sheepish. “Flowers? No time for ruddy flowers, Newbury! The woman’s had a new heart installed—I wasn’t about to stop for a chat with the posy girl on the way here, now was I?”

  Newbury caught Veronica’s eye, and they both laughed.

  Bainbridge crossed to her bedside, took he
r hand in his own, and kissed it. His bristles pricked her skin, and his lips were icy cold. “Miss Hobbes. I can’t tell you how relieved I am to see you looking so well. We all feared for your safety. I … well, I don’t know what we would do without you. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

  “I’m thankful to say that you won’t have to,” said Veronica. “At least for a while.”

  “And you, Newbury—you’ve caused quite a stir,” said Bainbridge. “All that business on the train, with the revenants and those ruddy acrobatics. You’re the talk of the White Friars. And have you told Miss Hobbes about that woman, Wren, and what she was up to? She knows all about that sorry business of old.”

  Newbury grinned. “Yes, she knows all about it, Charles.”

  “Good, good…,” said Bainbridge. He seemed distracted. Veronica could see that there was something else troubling him.

  “What is it, Sir Charles. Speak your mind.”

  He looked down at her, and shook his head. “No, it’ll keep. It’s too soon to be troubling you with my burdens, Miss Hobbes.”

  She sighed. “Look, you’re here now, and if you don’t tell me, I’ll only lay awake and fret.”

  Bainbridge glanced at Newbury, who nodded his agreement.

  “It’s the Queen. She’s summoned all of her agents. You, too, Newbury, once you’re done here.”

  “To what end?” said Newbury.

  “That’s just it. She’s declared outright war. She’s drawn up a list of all the Secret Service agents, and we’ve been ordered to dispose of them.”

  “Dispose of…,” said Veronica. “We’re not assassins!”

  “We’re whatever she wants us to be,” said Bainbridge. “But this time she’s gone too far.”

  “Angelchrist?” said Newbury.

  “In hiding,” said Bainbridge, “but I fear it’s only a matter of time. She’ll winkle him out, Newbury, and then it’ll be over. For all of us.”

  Newbury got to his feet. “In that case, we must act,” he said. “It’s time.”

  “Time for what?” said Veronica.

  “For the Albion Initiative,” said Bainbridge. “But it’s no use, Newbury. We haven’t had time. Somehow, she’s got the names of all of our agents. There’s no one left, aside from us.”

  Newbury glanced at Veronica, and then grinned. “Charles—come with me. I think it’s about time you met Constance Markham.…”

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  A special thank-you to all my patient readers, who have waited so long to discover what happened to Veronica after the terrible events of The Executioner’s Heart. This one’s had a long gestation period.

  Thanks also to my editors, Diana Pho, Liz Gorinsky, Ed Chapman, Cath Trechman, and Miranda Jewess; to Cavan Scott for being an invaluable sounding board; to my family for their ongoing support and encouragement.

  The soundtrack for this one was provided by Chairlift, Clare Maguire, Lyla Foy, David Bowie, Kate Bush, and Vaults.

  NEWBURY & HOBBES

  will return in

  The

  Albion

  Initiative

  NEWBURY & HOBBES INVESTIGATIONS BY GEORGE MANN

  The Affinity Bridge

  The Osiris Ritual

  The Immorality Engine

  The Executioner’s Heart

  The Revenant Express

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  GEORGE MANN is the author of the Newbury & Hobbes Investigations, beginning with The Affinity Bridge, and other works of fiction, including Ghosts of Manhattan and official Doctor Who tie-in material. He edited the Solaris Book of New Science Fiction anthology series and The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.

  Visit him at georgemann.wordpress.com, or sign up for email updates here.

  and at Twitter: @George_Mann.

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  CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Acknowledgements

  Newbury & Hobbes Investigations by George Mann

  About the Author

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  THE REVENANT EXPRESS

  Copyright © 2019 by George Mann

  All rights reserved.

  Cover art by Viktor Koen

  A Tor Book

  Published by Tom Doherty Associates

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  New York, NY 10010

  www.tor-forge.com

  Tor® is a registered trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.

  The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:

  Names: Mann, George, author.

  Title: The revenant express / George Mann.

  Description: First Edition.|New York: Tor, 2019.|Series: George Mann’s steampunk mystery|“A Tom Doherty Associates Book.”

  Identifiers: LCCN 2018045507|ISBN 9780765334091 (hardcover)|ISBN 9781466808140 (ebook)

  Subjects: LCSH: Steampunk fiction.|GSAFD: Science fiction.

  Classification: LCC PR6113.A546 R48 2019|DDC 823/.92—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018045507

  eISBN 9781466808140

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  First Edition: February 2019