Winter of the Passion Flower (The de Vargas Family) Page 4
“My retired friends in the mariner community use their local knowledge for smuggling. My ideas on keeping rural order have changed. I have become indispensible and I feed them much information to keep them safe. I hate the thought of Duke Lorca and other upper class leeches making even more money from their workhouses to the ill of the society. Mass production, elitism, social climbing. Pah!” He thumped the table with his fist and the fine porcelain teacups rattled in their saucers. “That soiree tonight is a perfect example of the wasted wealth that occurs in the upper echelons of our society.”
Indigo smiled, regarding Zane with a new respect. It appeared he shared her social philosophy. “And what exactly do you know of the Artemis and my expeditions?” she asked.
“You are importing the plants in your biomes from South America. Duke Lorca has been keeping the government informed, and becoming more vociferous each day. I have been sent down here to conduct an immediate investigation.”
Indigo opened her mouth to protest but Zane raised his hand.
“Wait, hear me out. There is no evidence. It was commonly believed that your pier is for the transport of your tourists, and the existence of your vessel was unknown.”
“What do you mean…was?” She narrowed her eyes.
“I was on the pier yesterday afternoon when the Artemis surfaced. I recognized your emblem on her side. I have now instigated a plan to close the investigation once and for all. It will show Duke Lorca to be nothing but a jealous fool, who has become malicious since your refusal to combine your enterprises by his proposal of marriage.”
Pushing his chair aside, the captain moved around the table to Indigo. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he reassured her. “We have transferred the botanicals to a safe house.”
Indigo frowned at Mr. Grimoult, even as the warmth from Zane’s hands moved from her shoulders down to the pit of her stomach.
“We? You were involved in this, Mr. Grimoult?”
The old man hung his head. “I thought to have only a quick nap. However, this all ensued whilst I slept in the underskin bunk.”
“Mr. Grimoult awoke whilst the crew was moving the cargo. Luckily he left before the excise men arrived,” Zane explained. “We were not even aware he was on board. I did not board the Artemis. She looks to be a fine vessel. After your captain advised me of the removal of your cargo, I called in my excise men to search the vessel. They are satisfied there is no smuggling. The rest of your crew are in the lock up in Tin Town.” Lifting the golden chain holding his timepiece, he smiled. “No, by this time, your crew should be drinking ale at The Rattling Cat.”
“Ah, The Rattling Cat.” Mr. Grimoult laughed. “Legend has it that the bones of excise men were tied to the collars of the cats and when a stranger came to town the rattling of the bones would alert the smugglers.”
“Enough.” Indigo slammed her hand on the table. “This is all well and good, however, we still have another voyage ahead of us. We do not yet have enough of the blooms to complete our quota for the Great Exhibition.” She turned to the captain. “I am appreciative of your work protecting my enterprise and I thank you. It is obvious that we cannot take the crew on an immediate voyage, as they will be under surveillance.” Indigo stared at him for a long time before continuing. “You have shown me that you are trustworthy. Now, I will tell you of my venture.” Mr. and Mrs. Grimoult both nodded their little heads enthusiastically.
“Whilst I have a highly successful enterprise where the wealthier members of society indulge themselves in the winter, it also provides a lot of employment, as well as pleasure, for the local people and improves their living standards. I do not profit from the activity at all. It all goes back into the pockets of those who help me.”
The captain’s face lit up with a smile. “I am pleased to hear we are of a similar philosophy, Madame.”
“However,” she continued. “You are obviously are not aware of my main business.”
“Your main business? The biomes?” Zane looked at her, a surprised frown on his face.
“No, the real industry I have developed, despite government regulation. The scientific community is highly possessive of their laboratories and the development of pharmacologicals is slow. There are ridiculous levels of regulation. I have a laboratory, hidden from prying eyes, which produces pharmacologicals, cosmecuticals and hallucinogenics. That is the purpose of our voyages. We collect more specimens from the Amazon. The holiday biomes provide a cover for my scientific activities. It is commonly believed the propagation of blooms in my conservatories is only for the pleasure of the guests.” Indigo paused, taking a deep breath. “That is nowhere near the truth. We must hurry as time is of the essence. I am unveiling my true enterprise at the Great Exhibition in May. Tonight, Mr. Henry Cole has provided me with more time. He has agreed that I may create my actual display, without need for a prototype. Duke Lorca will not be given my exhibition space.”
Zane reached down, taking both her hands between his. Dark, brooding eyes locked with hers and Indigo could not tear her gaze away from those black depths.
“That is excellent news, Madame and I pledge my unerring support to you. However, I have one more request. Before we embark on our voyage tonight, may I see your complex?”
* * * *
A strong wind buffeted the scarab on the short journey to the biomes. Drifts of snow covered the fields beneath them, the wind pushing the vehicle off course. The blade flicked across the glass as the snow iced up around the glass. Zane leaned forward to touch the other levers on the panel in front of him and Indigo pushed his hand away impatiently.
“You will have us upside down,” she snapped as her heart raced from his proximity
Indigo parked the scarab in a low tunnel behind the complex, before leading Zane to a door at the back of the beach biome. They entered the huge dome through a series of doors, circled by cogs with levers on each side. The happy squealing of children muffled by the soft whoosh of waves greeted them as the final door slid closed noiselessly behind them, camouflaged behind a large sign. Stepping onto a wide esplanade, Indigo stood back with a satisfied smile, watching as Zane’s eyes widened in disbelief. Children built sandcastles with buckets and spades on a beach bathed in sunshine. A panorama of seaside activities stretched along the esplanade. Donkeys, roundabouts and a Punch and Judy show added to the noise of gulls screeching overhead. Parents strolled with their children, eating fish and chips, fairy floss, and ice cream.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine something like this could exist.” Zane turned to Indigo, eyes still wide as he took in the vista before them.
“How is it daytime?” He pointed at the brilliant blue sky above them and brushed the rapidly melting snow from his shoulder. “Where does the sunshine come from? It is midnight and snowing outside.”
“You have many questions. It is satisfying to see the wind taken out of Captain Dogooder’s sails.” His interest pleased her greatly and she smiled at the unintended pun. “I will quickly show you the other biomes. Then we must embark on our voyage. You have many more surprises in store this evening, Captain. Are you up to the challenge?” The desire in his expression as he held her gaze sent a shiver skittering down her spine and Indigo was the first to look away. They re-entered the scarab and made the short journey through the tunnel to the next biome.
Indigo turned to Zane and placed her hand on his arm. “There is one question you may have that I am unable to answer at this time…but the time will come.”
Entering the biome through a similar sequence of sliding doors, the last metal door was overlaid in the familiar pattern of their tattoo. Indigo pushed the door open slowly, inhaling with pleasure as the sweet smell of exotic blooms hung in the air around them. She passed the captain a pair of dark glasses and donned a similar pair to protect their eyes from the intense blue of the sky. The humid warmth of the biome and the deafening screech of multi-colored birds darting through the treetops surrounded them. Indigo led the way past rows of high benches,
containing hundreds of blooms at various stages of growth.
“They are all the same?” asked Zane
Indigo spread her arms wide. “Captain, this is the reason for our next voyage. The blue passionflower.”
Zane removed his jacket as the heat became unbearable. He rolled back the linen cuff of his shirt and held his arm in front of her, looking at the tattoo of the blue passionflower replicated in the thousands of plants around them.
“Madame, I know we are somehow connected through this tattoo, but the memory of it keeps slipping from my mind. It is elusive and I cannot hold it. Tell me.”
She turned away from him. “First you must prove your loyalty to me. Now come, we have a voyage to make.”
Chapter 3
Zane looked around the Artemis in amazement after following Indigo and the Grimoults down the metal ladder leading from the hatch to the boiler room. A massive boiler dominated the center of the room, flanked by two big fireboxes. A cylindrical water reservoir linked it to the side skin, each pipe covered with coiled rope. He reached out, carefully touching the rope.
“For insulation,” advised Mr. Grimoult, walking to a series of analogue dials at the front of the room. “We have approximately twenty-five minutes left.”
“It is more modern than my vessel, but I am sure my knowledge is easily transferable.” Zane spoke with confidence.
“Your role is to navigate through the harbor once we get there. Come to the control room before we change our clothing.”
Zane turned to Indigo, confused. “The harbor? What about the long journey across the Atlantic?”
She simply smiled and held out her hand out to guide him through the narrow gangway. Immediately Zane felt the usual hit of warmth from their close contact and stepped back to out some space between them.
A series of small spaces led to the control room at the front of the vessel. As they bent through each low space, Indigo outlined its purpose. “Sonar space, temporal storage, escape pod, greenhouse, bunk room.”
“Where are the rest of the bunk rooms?” Zane scanned the room for another entry, confused by the lack of quarters.
“We only need one,” she replied.
“Where is the food storage and preparation area?”
“There isn’t one. We don’t need it.”
Her reply confused him further and an uneasy feeling settled in his stomach. Looking around the control room, the unfamiliar dials and the analytical engine increased his apprehension . This was the strangest vessel he had ever boarded. Both the control room and equipment were unlike any submarine he had ever seen. A huge semicircular screen followed the shape of the hull, covering the front half of the room. A single analytical engine sat in the center, flanked by two small leather chairs. The only pieces of familiar equipment were the brass periscope and rudder levers. Feeling a surge of panic, he doubted his ability to master this strange vessel.
Mrs. Grimoult bustled in, carrying some clothing, and handed a bundle to each of them. “Hurry up, fifteen minutes until temporal movement commences.”
Zane narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “What is temporal movement?”
“You will see shortly, sir.” Mrs. Grimoult hurried out, avoiding looking at him.
Indigo turned away from him and unlaced her corset. Peeling it off and throwing it aside, she stepped out of her skirt. Turning back to face him, she stood bare-breasted, clad only in a miniscule red undergarment. Never before had he seen such a magnificent and confident woman. Her statuesque beauty took his breath away.
“Breeches off, please, captain.”
The blood drained from his head and immediately pumped to his nether regions. With shaking fingers, Zane undid the flaps on his breeches as instructed, stepping out of them. All thoughts of navigating this unfamiliar vessel disappeared in an instant. Indigo pulled on a pair of strange blue trousers, which hugged her long legs like a second skin. His linen undergarment strained against his rapidly growing erection and he turned away from her, but too late.
“Impressive, but not now.” Her smile was wide and her eyes glinted with amusement. “I hope those pants will fit you. I did not realize you were so big…your thighs, I mean, Captain.”
The blood rushed back to his face and warmed his cheeks. At times the unpredictability of this woman made him as nervous as a young buck. He could not keep up with her. Leaning forward, she pulled her hair back and threaded a piece of circular stretching twine such as he had not seen before through her hair, confining her black curls into a high ponytail.
“What is that?” he asked.
“An elastic band,” she replied. “It is made of rubber from the latex plantations in the south American rainforest. It hasn’t been invented yet.”
“I beg your pardon?” he said. “What do you mean it hasn’t been invented?”
Indigo ignored his question. “Hurry up and get dressed, we will be underway shortly.” Her voice was muffled as she pulled a tight, red shirt over her head. Zane followed her instructions and quickly pulled on the blue pants and the soft, tight shirt. When he held it up it was in the shape of a large T. The interlocking metal teeth that closed the opening at the front of his pants intrigued him and he stood there sliding it up and down for a moment, watching the teeth grip and open and close with each movement. When he glanced up, Indigo was watching him with a wide smile on her face. He hurriedly slid the metal teeth to the top and snapped the brass button at his waist. They were the most comfortable trousers he had worn.
“Ten minutes,” yelled Mr. Grimoult.
Indigo moved across to the machine in the center of the room. A quick tap on the alphabet board in front of the rectangular glass lit the screen and an analogue clock appeared. “This is our origin time. Can you please check that your timepiece is synchronized?”
Glancing down at the chronometer on his arm, Zane replied. “Eight-fifteen.”
“Eight-fifteen, morning, fourteenth February, 1851,” she confirmed.
As she quickly tapped on the keyboard, Zane watched the detail on the screen change to a string of numbers. “Four dot fifteen, fourteen oh two, twenty eleven. Seventeen degrees, thirty-eight minutes, twenty-two seconds south. Seventy-one degrees, twenty minutes, fifteen seconds west.”
“Two minutes,” yelled Mr. Grimoult. “Prepare for temporal movement. Time engines half full. Set for one hundred and sixty years.”
Disbelief filled his mind as a whoosh of steam sounded from the boiler room and a loud humming began in the control room. The Grimoults hurried in, dressed in similar clothing to his, the little housekeeper looking most peculiar in the tight blue pants. A flashing blue light rotated slowly across the top of the control room, and the humming continued as the submarine suddenly submerged. Zane clutched at his stomach as the light rotated rapidly and a soft blue haze suffused the entire room. Grabbing at the edge of the table as the room faded, he was unable to keep his balance. The faces of Indigo and the Grimoults stretched beyond recognition as he looked up at them from the floor. The roof of the control room spun around him and the light disappeared.
* * * *
“The captain did well for a first-timer,” said Mrs. Grimoult leaning over Zane who lay on the floor rubbing his eyes.
Indigo leaned over him, her long fingers stroking his face. “Wake up, Captain. We have entered the harbor. We need you to steer the Artemis through the marina.”
Mr. Grimoult assisted Zane to his feet, guiding him to the rudder controls. Pressing the fingertips of one hand to the bridge of his nose, Zane used the other hand to adjust the periscope with the brass knobs.
“Do you have a map of the harbor?” he asked, his voice shaking.
A pang of remorse shot through Indigo; perhaps it would have been kinder to prepare him for the temporal voyage. Zane’s face was pale, his pupils dilated and perspiration soaked the front of his T-shirt, it was clear to any onlooker his body was unaccustomed to the effects of time travel. Mr. and Mrs. Grimoult had acclimatized to the change of t
ime travelling over the years and their many voyages, as she had.
Indigo touched the keyboard of the analytical engine and pulled up a screen of Ilo, the capital of Moquegua province in Peru. “We are a mile offshore at the beginning of a wide channel into the marina. Mr. Grimoult, would you please show the captain our usual mooring?”
Zane steered the Artemis successfully to the mooring as the older man pointed to the screen directing him between the hundreds of boats on the surface. He made no further comment but his lips were tight and the pulse jumping in his check told Indigo he would have much to say once they were ashore.
* * * *
An hour after surfacing, Indigo and Zane climbed through the hatch, stepping onto the pier at the eastern end of the harbor. The Grimoults would stay on the Artemis, remaining submerged in the daylight hours.
“We will be back with the blooms in forty-eight hours. Be ready to meet us at the end of the pier at this time the day after tomorrow,” she directed.
“Take care, Madame,” said Mr. Grimoult. “And you too, sir.” He slapped Zane on the back as he prepared to ascend the ladder
Giving them a quick wave, Indigo grabbed Zane’s hand and ran along the pier, dragging him along behind her. He did not speak as he ran with her, tight lipped and his face expressionless. Reaching the end of the pier and crossing the deserted road, Indigo frowned at Zane, slightly surprised by his compliant behavior. “Are you all right? No side effects from your fall, Captain?”
Zane stopped, pulling her back toward him. Holding tightly onto her waist, he glared down at her. “What do you think, Madame? You ask me to pilot your submarine. You spend a whole night going through the preparations for the voyage. You pass me off as your brother to get the information you seek. You show me through your biomes. You even say you will trust me.” He leaned down placing his face close to hers and a shiver ran through her as his voice deepened.
“However, you neglect one little detail. One piffling detail you obviously didn’t think important. You forgot to tell me you have a vessel that travels not only through space. It travels through time as well. You neglected to tell me that not only are your plants in the Amazon, but they are in the bloody twenty-first century, and then you have the damned hide to ask me if I am all right!”