Journey to the Heart of Luna - Andy Frankham-Allen [68]
“Nathanial,” she said and stepped towards him. “Thank you for coming to my rescue. I always knew I could count on you.”
Folkard noticed Grant watching them closely. Not with the suspicion he had expected, but with the dawning realisation of someone experiencing an epiphany. He stepped forward.
“Professor, take my niece with you.”
“Uncle,” Miss Somerset said, her expression one of outrage, “I will not be…”
Grant nodded, and took her hands in his. “Yes, you will. Luna is about to become even more dangerous. The Russians in those outposts will get word back home, and soon others will learn of what transpired here. Not just the Russians, but in France, Germany, all over the world. I have put you in enough danger as it is.”
“You did not put me in danger. I stowed away, it was my choice.”
Grant smiled kindly. “Yes, you are as wilful as my dear sister was. Nevertheless, my mind is made up.” He turned to Professor Stone. “Keep her safe,” he said, his voice a mixture of threat and fear.
“I promise, Doctor Grant. I will guard Annabelle with my life.”
Epilogue
EXCERPT 11.
“Beyond the Inner Worlds: The Journal of Professor Nathanial Stone” (Published July 2011, by Chadwick Press.)
Sunday April 14th, 1889.
Annabelle is most upset at leaving her uncle, but if there is one thing I have learned it is that once Doctor Grant has made up his mind there is no turning back. I have asked Captain Folkard to forward a heliograph message on to Director White on my behalf, telling him of our new guest. Civilians at the dockyard are a very rare occurrence, indeed I am a special case in that regards. I hope William will indulge me, and help me honour my promise to Doctor Grant. How Annabelle will fair on a Navy base I have no idea; she is not a woman to be kept in one place for long. I fear I will have my work cut out for me. However, I have been through a lot this last day, and following the example of Folkard I shall remain determined.
For her own part it appears Annabelle is holding me responsible for her uncle’s decision, and barely a word has passed between us since we boarded the Sovereign. Lieutenant Bedford has the unenviable task of writing missives to the next of kin to those lost on this mission, and Annabelle is giving him support in this. They have spent some considerable time in the galley together. I, for one, do not like the look that passes between them when they talk. For reasons I cannot quite fathom it makes me uncomfortable.
Mentioning the casualties reminds me of Erasmus; he has been classed by Captain Folkard as “missing in action”. K’chuk makes it clear that if Erasmus was taken from the tunnels by these mysterious Drobates, like K’chuk believes to be the case with Doctor Tereshkov, then the odds of survival are very low. K’chuk will not tell us what these Drobates are, despite the best efforts of the captain and his first officer, but they are clearly something feared by the Selenites. That we know of the Heart, and at that barely anything, appears to be a bone of some contention between the Selenites and us Earth men as it is.
We have received many answers on this mission, succeeded in our goal of finding and rescuing Doctor Grant, but many mysteries remain. I hope that one day I may return to Luna, for there is much I would still personally like answered.
It is hard to credit that only a day has passed by since I first met Captain Folkard at the Dover Embarkation Platform; it seems that so much has happened. I have learned so much about myself. I do not know what effect this will have on my life when I return to Earth; will I be craving adventure while working at the Chatham docks? Will the presence of Annabelle lead me astray? I think both are very real possibilities. I may have been an unwilling adventurer, but this journey to the Heart of Luna has revealed to me elements of my personality I did not know existed. Will I be content to simply help out at the dockyards, to discover new and creative ways to improve the efficiency