Ether & Elephants (23 page)

To Nell’s shame, she didn’t think she could have asked him to stop. Her breast ached with the loss of such a fleeting touch.

Tom pushed to his feet and shuffled to the door. His breathing was as ragged as her own. “Think about it, dearling,” he said thickly, one hand on the doorknob. “Think about how very
right
that was. I’ll never betray you again. You have my word of honor on that. I love you, Nell. Please think about that and reconsider.”

She gave a shaky laugh and pushed some loose hair out of her face. “I doubt I’ll be able to forget it.” She dragged in a few more breaths and looked up to face him. “But the answer is still no, Tom. Lust isn’t what I’m looking for in my life, not for the long term at least.”

“I’m not talking about lust, I’m talking about love. We both know the difference.”

She blinked back the tears pricking her eyelids. “No, I’m not sure I do. This was amazing, but I don’t think physical pleasure is enough to build a lifetime on. I’m not that soppy sixteen-year-old anymore. I need meaning and purpose, not just a strong man to look out for me. We can do this again if you like. I certainly would. But at the end of this journey, you have to be all right with going our separate ways. No more talking of love or marriage. We need to put that in the past.”

He bobbed his head and went through the door, shutting off that part of her life with a single reverberating click.

Chapter Ten

Nell’s first impression of Calcutta was the heat. Wet and oppressive, it hung thick in the air like a boiled London fog. There was smoke, of course, so she wore her air mask, but even it didn’t completely block the scents of human and animal waste, curry and unwashed flesh. Her lightest linen skirt and bodice seemed like a woolen shroud and her fashionable hat with its ivory veil was utterly ineffective at shading her eyes from the blinding sun.

The aerodrome was outside the city proper. As the official Government House carriage rolled through the fetid streets, she saw wonders, including a snake charmer and elephants in the distance, but also conditions even worse than she’d known in Wapping, which she’d frankly not thought possible. The darker skin, actually many different skin tones, of the people didn’t surprise her, but the fact that many of them, men and women, walked boldly around basically nude was something of a shock. Very few of the workingmen wore shirts, and some were in little more than an infant’s nappie. She supposed the heat was some excuse. Maybe they were simply smarter than the English. She glanced away as a couple rutted against a rickety wooden building, the man’s bare back covered in sores that boded ill for both him and his companion.

A little further on she saw the body of a child, a boy of possibly eight, lying facedown in a ditch.

This
was the jewel of the British crown? Nell choked back a sob.

From across the carriage, Tom shot her a look of sympathetic agreement.

Mr. Merton, some sort of undersecretary to the viceroy, brought his handkerchief to his nostrils. “An untouchable. Nobody cares what becomes of him, and it’s a sin for anyone from any other caste to even touch the body.”

This time Nell snorted. “I imagine his mother does.” If he had one.

Eileen perched beside Nell, wringing her hands and refusing to even glance outside. Meanwhile, the viceroy’s toady rambled on about all the wondrous things the British had done to improve the lives of the natives.

Nell managed not to snort again.

Farther into the city, many things changed. Not the heat, of course, but suddenly the buildings were more solid and, well, more English, for the most part, with wider streets and carriages, even steam cars moving along the well-paved road. Ditches and slums evolved into small parks and tidy shops. More of the people wore clothing, some of them flowing robes and others Savile Row suits or bespoke gowns. The air still smelled of curried shit.

Once they passed through the arched gates to Government House, the official residence of the viceroy and vicereine, lush gardens and a vast swath of parkland boasted colorful blooms and majestic palms as they rolled up the brick-paved drive. The carriage pulled to a halt in front of a palace that rivaled any royal residence in Britain. The enormous, classically designed building was painted yellow, but it didn’t strike Nell as garish. It simply suited the exotic beauty of the setting.

Mr. Merton led them up wide marble steps and into the vast central hall of the building. High ceilings and well-placed windows provided both shade and ventilation, making it cooler indoors than out. In here, the scents of huge floral arrangements overrode any other, presumably even the sweat of the multitude of clerks and other workers, all in Western dress, who scurried about, oblivious to the newcomers.

“His Excellency will meet you in his private office, Sir Thomas.” Merton led them through a series of rooms to a wide corridor leading to one of the four wings of the building. “A servant will show Miss Hadrian to her rooms.”

“Miss Hadrian is part of my business from Her Majesty,” Tom said. His instinctive inclusion of her made Nell want to smile. What a change in just a few days. “However, you may have someone show Miss Morrissey to her quarters, and after she’s had a rest, to Miss Hadrian’s.” He took a firm grip on Nell’s arm, and since she didn’t wish to be excluded from the meeting, she kept her spine straight and her chin high.

Merton managed to suggest a sniff without actually doing so. “Very well. Right this way.”

Lord Elgin, the viceroy, was a fierce-looking man whose white shock of hair and lined face made him look far older than his fifty-some years. His office was as lavish as the rest of the palace, but covered in papers and books. His Excellency was no puppet. He worked at his position. Papa would approve, as would the duke. Of course, they’d both probably met him. There’d been no chance to discuss the situation since Tom and Nell had left so quickly.

Nell curtseyed. The viceroy was owed all the respect due to a monarch, after all. Tom bowed. After introductions, Tom handed Lord Elgin a letter from Her Majesty. He read it and sent both Merton and another official out of the room and asked Tom and Nell to be seated.

“I knew there was an Order of the Round Table but assumed it was purely honorific,” Lord Elgin said. “And, of course, I knew Her Majesty had someone to deal with supernatural threats, but I never put the two together. It’s truly a pleasure to meet you, Sir Thomas, Miss Hadrian. I understand you’re here upon a matter of utmost delicacy relating to the Prince of Wales?”

“Among other issues,” Tom said. “We’re also seeking a dangerous criminal, someone who mixes magick and chemistry to wreak havoc. We’ve reason to believe he may be after some sort of magickally charged gemstones.”

“I see.” Lord Elgin steepled his fingers. “I am at your disposal of course. Do you have a name for this villain? A description?”

Tom grimaced. “Several names, unfortunately.” He showed the viceroy the wedding photograph and the more recent drawings they had, and generally filled him in on what they knew or understood of the Alchemist’s plan. “We believe the man’s wife seduced the prince and is trying to blackmail the palace as a source of funding for his projects.” He kept his own involvement with Polly entirely out of the discussion and Nell didn’t feel it was her place to divulge Tom’s secrets, especially as there seemed to be no need.

“And your purpose here, Miss Hadrian?” Lord Elgin studied her with a calm but authoritative air.

She tipped her chin, appreciating his straightforward attitude. “The criminals took a boy from the school where I teach, well, taught. I’m here for him. He’s blind, and I was afraid he might not trust a stranger.”

He weighed her words for a moment. “Commendable.”

“There is one other thing.” Tom’s tone conferred respect without deference, a narrow tightrope to walk. “There is a man we wish to meet, on an unrelated matter. I believe you are acquainted with Nawab Shanku?”

“He’s one of our most helpful allies in the West Bengal region,” the viceroy said. “The first viceroy, Lord Canning, knighted him shortly after the ’57 rebellion. I can arrange a formal meeting, or, if you prefer, an introduction at this evening’s entertainments. The vicereine is having a small supper party tonight. Both Sir Vivek, the nawab, and his son will be there.”

“Tonight will do nicely.” Nell’s throat had gone dry but she didn’t choke on her words, thank goodness. “I have reason to believe the nawab may be a distant relation, and my father suggested I look him up.” It was close enough to the truth. He’d certainly been distant enough in her lifetime, even if he had sired her.

“Not too distant, I think.” Lord Elgin narrowed his eyes at Nell. “You look just like him.”

Nell flushed. “He may be my biological father, sir. If so, I should like to know him.”

“Excellent.” Lord Elgin came around his desk and showed them to the door, beckoning to a waiting servant. “Rajesh will show you to the residential wing. Lady Elgin looks forward to meeting you in the salon at nine o’clock. We dine late here to take advantage of the cooler evenings.”

Silently, Nell and Tom followed the liveried native man through the palace to another wing, one which seemed to be designed as a stately home. Another servant, this one female, also Indian, but in a sedate dress of blue linen, led them up a sweeping staircase to their rooms, across the hall from one another. Would he cross that hall tonight? She’d waited for him the night before and he hadn’t.

“We have hours yet before supper,” Nell said. If she had to sit in her room and stew about Tom and meeting her possible father, she’d go mad.

“I know.” Tom paced restlessly in the corridor. We need to do something. Why don’t I speak to the majordomo while you freshen up. I think a tour of the city is in order. We need to know the lay of the land.”

She almost hugged him for understanding. “Mr. Pritchard, the archaeologist, offered to give me a tour of some of the significant sights.”

Tom frowned. “Pritchard, is it? Fine, we’ll send him a note. If not today, perhaps we can persuade him to do so tomorrow.”

* * *

An hour later, Tom handed Nell into the carriage. She wore the same tropical linen traveling suit she’d worn on the ship, as did he, but, like him, had changed into a fresh white blouse and a broader-brimmed hat. If their clothing hadn’t been what all the other Europeans in Caluctta were wearing, they’d have looked absurdly as if they were trying to match. Even his coral silk cravat matched the coral silk rose pinned at the neckline of her blouse. As usual, she was stunning, and just the sight of her took his breath away.

She caught his eye as he handed her up into the open phaeton. “We look like a pair of traveling comedians.”

He chuckled. “We do.”

“On the contrary, Miss Hadrian, you look utterly lovely.” The brown-haired man who waited on the third seat of the phaeton stood to assist her, smiling beneath his handlebar moustache.

“Mr. Van Guilder. How delightful to see you again.” She studied the man as if trying to remember more, which was reassuring, since Tom had been grinding his teeth in jealousy while she danced with the rather ordinary young man. “Your mother was kind. Please thank her for me again.”

“I see you’ve met our tour guide, Mr. Alistair Van Guilder. He and his family reside in Calcutta, and he happened to be at Government House on business this afternoon and offered his services as guide. I believe you’re a banker, sir?” Tom climbed up to the high perch of the carriage.

“Yes, my father and I manage the Bank of Calcutta, serving primarily the British and American populations of the city.” He shook hands with Tom and all three sat, with Nell in the center. Mr. Van Guilder picked up the reins. “I was fortunate enough to meet Miss Hadrian last night aboard the airship. Mother and I just returned from a visit to London.”

He chatted amiably as he drove them around the European center of the city. It was, in this area, a lovely, well-laid out cosmopolitan city, with lovely stucco three-story shops and banks and restaurants, presumably with offices and flats above. “Many of the iron frames of the buildings were fabricated in England,” Alistair said. “They were sent here by freighter, and the facades and interiors were built on location. Fascinating, isn’t it?”

It was, but Tom couldn’t care less at the moment.

There were also magnificent mansions. Alistair pointed to the largest as they drew past. “The Marble Palace, residence of Raja Mullick. I’ve never been inside, but it’s said to be even more elegant than Government House.”

Why did people waste so much labor and money on a monstrosity of a home? At least a functioning palace served some administrative purpose.

“Is that a Hindu temple?” Nell tipped her head at a lovely older-looking structure with three white domes topped by little cupolas.

“Temple of Kali,” Alistair confirmed. “It’s old, but redone, oh, fifty to a hundred years ago. Some say the temple, called Kalighat, is where the name Calcutta comes from.”

Nell smiled. “The capital city is named for a goddess. I like that.”

“A six-armed goddess, if I recall correctly,” Tom added, glad to finally have something to contribute. “Of war and destruction.” Kali might be a little bloody for Nell’s taste. Wink would be a devotee in a heartbeat.

“Yes, but oddly enough, she also represents fertility and other domestic virtues,” their guide added. “Quite fascinating, these primitive religions.”

Tom wanted to remind him that the Christian god had done a fair bit of destruction himself in the Old Testament, but held his tongue.

Nell sighed. “I’d love to see a Buddha statue. I have in pictures, of course, even in English drawing rooms, but never in situ.” Ah, Tom understood her goal. The one she wanted to see had a ruby eye, but her plan was a sound one. Establishing a silly fascination with the subject would give her an excuse to search.

“Well, in Hinduism, Buddha wasn’t a single person or god,” Tom reminded her. “So there are different faces to the statuary, depending on which Buddha is being honored. If you wish to make a pilgrimage to each one in the area, you’re more than welcome.”