Steampunk Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Novel Set in the Future by Monica Fairview

Author:Monica Fairview [Fairview, Monica]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Alternate Universe - Futuristic Setting, Steampunk
Goodreads: 18589662
Publisher: White Soup Press
Published: 2014-01-11T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

The next day, when Seraphene arrived at the landing with Ahab, Bree, Spear and a few friends who were heading for the Festival, she found Darcy waiting for them.

The trouble with Darcy was that he thought by telling her about the Pemberley Project she’d be eternally grateful, as if he’d offered her to be best friends by sharing a secret. Granted, The Lambton – now renamed The Beatrix Potter —was his, but that didn’t mean he could show up and expect a ride whenever he chose.

“What happened to my schooner?” said Darcy, as she opened the hatch and the others started filing in. He eyed The Beatrix Potter suspiciously. In its current battered shape, with the paint scheme completely changed inside and out – Seraphene thought the rust touches were sheer genius – there was no way he would recognize his own slick airship.

“It’s been – um – I traded it in.”

He raised his brow in question. She ignored it. She had no intention of giving him an explanation. “What’s the name? The Beatrix Potter? Is this thing even registered?”

“Sure.” At least, it would be, once she managed to tweak a few strings and call in a few favors. “What do you care, anyway? It’s not as if you’re going to ride in it.”

Perhaps he would take the hint and go away.

“I’ll be happy to take my chances.”

A hint was never enough with Darcy. Like in Wickham’s case, there was no subtle way of saying no.

She shook her head.

“You’re on your own, Darcy. I’m not your hired chauffeur. You’re not paying me to do this.”

She brought up the gangway, released the mooring and began lift off.

Darcy looked at her with a hurt expression, the look of an abandoned puppy.

Oh, come on. You’re absolutely not an abandoned puppy .

“Hire your own hansom cab,” she said and shut the entrance door.

A cheer rose up behind her.

“Good for you, Skipp! Stand up to the Boss! We don’t have to give people like him free rides!”

High fives were exchanged with slapping enthusiasm.

She rose up, far enough up, until he was just a tiny speck down on the landing. She kept her gaze on the landscape and on the last glimmer of the river some way ahead of her.

Hades’ hounds! She felt horrible. It was his airship after all. How could she refuse to give him a ride in his own airship?

The schooner hovered, its blades whirring uncertainly. Hovering was a hard thing – keeping it steady took a lot of skill, but she held it there. The engine protested at being held stationary when it wanted to surge ahead. The button blinked at her. Go.

Slowly, she pulled the lever that brought the sand down then cut the engine. Slowly but surely, she began to descend.

“What?”

Groans of protest came from the gondola behind her.

“Don’t do this, Skipp!”

“Don’t give in to him.”

“Hold your own.”

She ignored them, bringing the airship down and sliding the gangway down with a puff of steam.

He was standing exactly where she left him, grinning widely.

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