Revenge of the Mad Scientist by Lara Nance

Author:Lara Nance [Nance, Lara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, A romantic steampunk adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Adventure
ISBN: 1479115797
Publisher: Createspace
Published: 2011-12-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Belle emerged on the deck the next morning and squinted in the bright sunlight. She looked around for Rett. He stood on the aft deck using some tools to make adjustments to the steering wheel. He met her gaze briefly without expression and resumed his work.

Although she wanted to kill him for dumping her in that pond, she’d spent a long time last night thinking about what he told her. Perhaps some slight ring of truth in his words had saved his life. Had she really been such a brat? Had she really loved him or was it just being entranced with getting married and playing house? While he’d struggled with thoughts of his future she was only concerned with the color of rugs? Was that possible?

It was all so long ago, she couldn’t really remember. And did it make any difference now? All that really mattered at this moment was saving her father. So she would focus on that. She slipped a hand into her pocket and wrapped her fingers around the engraved surface of her pocket watch. Just the touch gave her hope.

“Belle, we’re almost ready to leave. Sam’s got the engine going,” Rett said coming down the steps toward her with a wary look in his eyes.

“Where’s Benji?” she asked as Jasper handed her a cup of tea. How he managed to have it ready the moment she appeared was a mystery, but she was happy for it.

“Isn’t he down in the cabin?” Rett asked.

“No, the door to his room was open and it was empty,” she replied.

“Perhaps he and the young lady are taking a stroll,” Jasper suggested, a disapproving look on his face.

“Oh, no.” Belle handed her cup back to her butler.

Rett glanced at her sharply. “What?”

“Benji wanted to explore that pile of rocks we saw before we landed. I bet he and Armani went there before anyone else was up.”

“Damn it! Did I not say last night; no one is to wander off by themselves?” Rett exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

“Wandering off is something Master Benjamin excels at,” Jasper said with feeling, shaking his head.

“We should go after them.” Belle started for the stairs. “What if one of them fell and broke a leg or something?”

Rett followed her, muttering, “If he broke his leg it might stop him from wandering off.”

They lowered the gangplank and headed for the woods.

“It was in that direction.” Belle pointed.

Rett nodded, his lips pressed together in a grim line. Belle hoped the two young people had not come to any harm, but she could wring Benji’s neck for his insatiable curiosity. Now they were going to lose more time in hunting him down.

They pushed through the undergrowth with Rett making the way easier for Belle behind him. The trees grew close together lending their surroundings a heavy, shadowy atmosphere. Other than occasional birds chirping the only sounds were their footsteps as they crunched across leaves and twigs. They had been moving for about ten minutes when they heard a commotion up ahead—screeching and hooting—and it was coming closer.

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