Emilie & the Hollow World - By Martha Wells Page 0,90

see. There were accusations without basis?” She read Emilie's expression accurately. “And perhaps some threats of punishment for things you hadn't done, or didn't contemplate doing?”

“Yes.” Emilie felt a tightness in her chest ease. “My mother ran off to become an actress, and although she got married...”

“You would think, in this day and age...” Miss Marlende's mouth set in a grim line. “You don't believe there is any chance of reconciliation?”

“Not now. Especially not after I ran away,” Emilie admitted. “Maybe later. Years later.” The situation between the Sealands Queen and the Nomads had given her some perspective. She thought too much had been said on both her part and on her uncle's part for anyone to back down.

Miss Marlende said slowly, “Well then, perhaps, if the situation with your cousin doesn't work out, you'd be interested in a position as my personal assistant?”

“What? Yes.” Emilie blinked. “Doing what?”

Miss Marlende smiled. “I do a great deal of work for my father, writing letters, monographs about his work, plus traveling and meeting with members of learned societies, that sort of thing. I could use some secretarial help. And perhaps, if I have a younger woman in tow, I'd look a bit more matronly to some of the men I have to meet with, and they would be less inclined to treat me like a frivolous debutante.” She shrugged wryly. “Probably not, but it's worth a try.”

Emilie nodded rapidly. “Oh, yes. Thank you.” It sounded less like adventuring and more like a junior social secretary, but still... Social secretary to adventurers would be far more interesting than schoolteacher. It was a fabulous opportunity.

Lord Engal interrupted then, stepping out of the wheelhouse, frowning distractedly. “Evers? Where's Evers?”

“You sent Evers with a message to my father,” Miss Marlende reminded him.

Emilie thought she might as well start being useful immediately. “Do you need someone to take a message, My Lord?” She had remembered to call him “My Lord” that time; she hoped he had noticed.

He said, “Yes, to Dr. Barshion, if you don't mind. I asked him to send me the adjustments for the aether navigator we'll need to make for the Aerinterre surface current. It's not urgent at the moment, but I don't want to waste time once we break through to the surface.”

“I'll be right back.” Emilie went down the stairs, glad for a chance to work off the excitement. Her heart was pounding a little. She found herself looking forward to getting back a great deal more now.

She went all the way down to the lower deck, just above the engine room, and down the aetheric compartment corridor. The air was hot and damp. She passed the room with the device that kept the air clean inside the bubble. It had the same mist, earthy smell, and bemused operator as the first time she had seen it.

She reached the doorway of the aetheric engine room, where a sailor stood on guard. He nodded to her, smiling, and she recognized him as one of the men who had helped search the island where they had found the Lathi. “Hello. I've got a message for Dr. Barshion.”

Ricard poked his head out. He looked tired, and sweat was beaded on his forehead, but his expression was cheerful. It was another sign that things were going well down here. “Hello, Miss Emilie. He's not here. He went up to the wheelhouse to see Lord Engal.”

“No, he's not there,” Emilie told him. “That's where I've come from. Lord Engal wants the adjustments for the aether navigator for the Aerinterre surface current.”

Ricard stepped back and Mr. Abendle came to the doorway. Behind him, Emilie saw the copper dome on its plinth, connected to all the pipes and tubing. It was humming loudly and hissing a little as wisps of steam escaped from its pipes. Mr. Abendle had a bandana tied around his head like an old pirate. He said, “That's odd. Oh, I bet he went to Dr. Marlende first. I'll get the figures for Lord Engal and send someone up with them.”

“All right, thank you.” Emilie started away, feeling sweat already sticking her shirt to her back. She hoped she would have time to take a bath after they reached the surface.

She reached the cooler air of the stairwell, and stopped. The stairs that led down to the main engine room and the boilers were at the opposite end of the aetheric room corridor. This stairwell led down to the forward hold, where Lord Ivers and his