Original: "Trafalgar and Boone," Epilogue
And that's the first draft of the Trafalgar & Boone novel! I definitely suspect there will be future adventures with these two. There's just so much more for them to do! The word count of this draft is 80,628, which is 5,000 more than the combined word count of the T&B short stories I've already written. So that's a bonus. ;D
Now I just need to find an artist who can do the cover art. :/
Epilogue
Six weeks later
Dorothy swung her blade, grimacing as she missed the mark and left herself open for a counterattack. She retreated by shifting her weight to her opposite foot, but she was too slow. Her opponent took advantage of the mistake and thrust her weapon forward. The blade pressed into Dorothy’s blouse just above her heart. Her shoulders slumped and she reached up to push her mask out of the way. “This doesn’t count toward your overall average. I’m fighting with my weak arm.”
“The hell it doesn’t,” Beatrice said as she unmasked herself. She walked to the table under the window and poured them each a glass. “You have to learn how to fight even if your dominant hand is out of commission. You never know when it might be necessary.”
Dorothy swung her epee a few times, still getting used to the weight in her left hand. “I’ll be out of this sling in two more weeks.”
“This is for the next time.”
“I don’t plan on letting any more minotaurs step on me.”
Beatrice said, “So this time it was part of your plan?”
Dorothy grinned. “It’s all part of a plan, my dear Trix.”
Beatrice put down her glass and peered out the window. Her attention was drawn to the street and her demeanor changed. “I believe we’re about to have company. A carriage just pulled up.”
“Desmond?”
“Doesn’t look like.”
“Hm.” She took Beatrice’s epee. “I’ll put these away. Let them in and see what they want. Perhaps a commission.”
Beatrice said, “In your condition?”
“I can handle myself. Go.” She swatted Beatrice’s rear end with the sword and went to put them away. She quickly changed out of her gear and daubed at her sweaty forehead with a towel. She was just putting up her hair when Beatrice returned.
“Miss Trafalgar would like an audience.”
Dorothy blinked. “Trafalgar. Here? How unusual. Did you ask her to wait in the parlor?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Thank you.”
Dorothy went downstairs and found Trafalgar standing by the fireplace to examine the books lining her shelves. She was still wearing her jacket, but the parts where the leather was ruined by dragging her through the labyrinth were expertly repaired. She had a bowler hat tucked under one arm.
“Miss Trafalgar.” She turned and Dorothy smiled. “Welcome to my home.”
“Thank you. It’s nice to be here under less dire circumstances.”
Dorothy indicated the sitting area and they moved toward it. “I heard you were out of London for the past few weeks.”
“Yes, Leola and I went to the North Sea to give Adeline a proper farewell. Then I escorted her to Egypt so she could get set up in a new life in Port Said.”
“Oh? And what will she be doing?”
“She wanted to work in a museum. She always said the best part of working with me was everything I would bring back, so...” She made a casual gesture. “I had a friend who is curator, and he arranged something for her. I believe she’ll be a docent.”
Dorothy nodded. “I’m sure she’ll be fantastic at it.”
Trafalgar smiled and looked toward the window. “I came here today to make you an offer. I want to give you my contacts and the artifacts I’ve been holding on to for safekeeping.”
Dorothy was completely thrown. “Your closing up shop? Whatever for?”
“It was difficult enough in this business when I had Leola and Adeline providing support. Now I’m alone. I can’t possibly continue. Working with you has convinced me that you’re a worthy successor. If you want, I could arrange for the movers to bring everything this weekend. Or if you would prefer, they could wait until your arm has completely healed.”
“No.”
Trafalgar said, “This weekend won’t work...?”
“No. I don’t... I don’t want your things.”
“Ah. Well, there are others who will be eager. I thought I owed you the right to first refusal.” She stood and put on her hat. “I can show myself out. No reason to bother Beatrice.”
Dorothy stood as well. “Wait! I don’t want your things because it would be a huge folly for you to just... to just walk away. Working with you has proven to me that you’re one of the... smartest, most resilient people in this business. You can’t simply take down your shingle and walk away.”
“I can’t do my job alone.”
“Then we can be partners.”
Trafalgar stared at her. “I beg your pardon?”
Dorothy shrugged and moved toward the fireplace. “I’ve grown weary of constantly seeking patrons and working with students and weekend adventurers. In a perfect world I would fund my own expeditions, but I can’t afford to bankroll ten or twelve people. I could, however, bankroll one other person who was worth ten or twelve people all by herself. We’ve proven we can work well together, even if we don’t always agree.”
“You’re serious.”
Dorothy smiled. “Of course I’m serious. I just think it would be a tremendous waste if you simply packed up and found new work.” She furrowed her brow. “Ah. Unless you already had something else arranged, in which case--”
“No, nothing else.” Trafalgar was looking at the carpet. “I must say this is entirely unexpected, Lady Boone. I would feel marginally safer if I was around to make sure you stayed out of trouble.”
Dorothy laughed. “Whatever lies you need to tell yourself. You could of course keep your own clients, your contacts and collections would be your own. We would simply collaborate when necessary.” She walked closer. “The simple truth is that we are both very good at what we do, but we’re even better together. We faced the Minotaur together and we won! What can’t we do if we put our minds to it?”
Trafalgar raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly. “Necessity often creates strange bedfellows. Very well. Perhaps on a trial basis, we could see if we can refrain from murdering one another for a few weeks.”
“There’s actually a case you could help me with. I put the client off until I was fully healed, but if you’re willing to operate in my stead...?”
Trafalgar considered the offer. “Yes. I would be willing to take a look at it.”
“Excellent. Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
Dorothy went upstairs, wondering what she had just done while finding herself excited at the prospect of working with Trafalgar. She went into her private office where she had left details of the prospective assignment, a job that could take them as far away as Chile if Trafalgar was willing to literally lend her a hand. As she crossed the room she paused and went to the bookshelf where her latest memento was displayed. The piece of the Minotaur’s horn that had broken off, which had then served as the means through which she negotiated their truce, had been sanded, waxes, and mounted on a piece of marble. She touched the smooth curve of the horn and remembered the pain and fear she’d been in when she first picked it up.
Strange bedfellows indeed, she thought. She took her notes from the desk and switched off the lamp as she left the office, trotting downstairs to share the information with her new partner.
Now I just need to find an artist who can do the cover art. :/
Epilogue
Six weeks later
Dorothy swung her blade, grimacing as she missed the mark and left herself open for a counterattack. She retreated by shifting her weight to her opposite foot, but she was too slow. Her opponent took advantage of the mistake and thrust her weapon forward. The blade pressed into Dorothy’s blouse just above her heart. Her shoulders slumped and she reached up to push her mask out of the way. “This doesn’t count toward your overall average. I’m fighting with my weak arm.”
“The hell it doesn’t,” Beatrice said as she unmasked herself. She walked to the table under the window and poured them each a glass. “You have to learn how to fight even if your dominant hand is out of commission. You never know when it might be necessary.”
Dorothy swung her epee a few times, still getting used to the weight in her left hand. “I’ll be out of this sling in two more weeks.”
“This is for the next time.”
“I don’t plan on letting any more minotaurs step on me.”
Beatrice said, “So this time it was part of your plan?”
Dorothy grinned. “It’s all part of a plan, my dear Trix.”
Beatrice put down her glass and peered out the window. Her attention was drawn to the street and her demeanor changed. “I believe we’re about to have company. A carriage just pulled up.”
“Desmond?”
“Doesn’t look like.”
“Hm.” She took Beatrice’s epee. “I’ll put these away. Let them in and see what they want. Perhaps a commission.”
Beatrice said, “In your condition?”
“I can handle myself. Go.” She swatted Beatrice’s rear end with the sword and went to put them away. She quickly changed out of her gear and daubed at her sweaty forehead with a towel. She was just putting up her hair when Beatrice returned.
“Miss Trafalgar would like an audience.”
Dorothy blinked. “Trafalgar. Here? How unusual. Did you ask her to wait in the parlor?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Thank you.”
Dorothy went downstairs and found Trafalgar standing by the fireplace to examine the books lining her shelves. She was still wearing her jacket, but the parts where the leather was ruined by dragging her through the labyrinth were expertly repaired. She had a bowler hat tucked under one arm.
“Miss Trafalgar.” She turned and Dorothy smiled. “Welcome to my home.”
“Thank you. It’s nice to be here under less dire circumstances.”
Dorothy indicated the sitting area and they moved toward it. “I heard you were out of London for the past few weeks.”
“Yes, Leola and I went to the North Sea to give Adeline a proper farewell. Then I escorted her to Egypt so she could get set up in a new life in Port Said.”
“Oh? And what will she be doing?”
“She wanted to work in a museum. She always said the best part of working with me was everything I would bring back, so...” She made a casual gesture. “I had a friend who is curator, and he arranged something for her. I believe she’ll be a docent.”
Dorothy nodded. “I’m sure she’ll be fantastic at it.”
Trafalgar smiled and looked toward the window. “I came here today to make you an offer. I want to give you my contacts and the artifacts I’ve been holding on to for safekeeping.”
Dorothy was completely thrown. “Your closing up shop? Whatever for?”
“It was difficult enough in this business when I had Leola and Adeline providing support. Now I’m alone. I can’t possibly continue. Working with you has convinced me that you’re a worthy successor. If you want, I could arrange for the movers to bring everything this weekend. Or if you would prefer, they could wait until your arm has completely healed.”
“No.”
Trafalgar said, “This weekend won’t work...?”
“No. I don’t... I don’t want your things.”
“Ah. Well, there are others who will be eager. I thought I owed you the right to first refusal.” She stood and put on her hat. “I can show myself out. No reason to bother Beatrice.”
Dorothy stood as well. “Wait! I don’t want your things because it would be a huge folly for you to just... to just walk away. Working with you has proven to me that you’re one of the... smartest, most resilient people in this business. You can’t simply take down your shingle and walk away.”
“I can’t do my job alone.”
“Then we can be partners.”
Trafalgar stared at her. “I beg your pardon?”
Dorothy shrugged and moved toward the fireplace. “I’ve grown weary of constantly seeking patrons and working with students and weekend adventurers. In a perfect world I would fund my own expeditions, but I can’t afford to bankroll ten or twelve people. I could, however, bankroll one other person who was worth ten or twelve people all by herself. We’ve proven we can work well together, even if we don’t always agree.”
“You’re serious.”
Dorothy smiled. “Of course I’m serious. I just think it would be a tremendous waste if you simply packed up and found new work.” She furrowed her brow. “Ah. Unless you already had something else arranged, in which case--”
“No, nothing else.” Trafalgar was looking at the carpet. “I must say this is entirely unexpected, Lady Boone. I would feel marginally safer if I was around to make sure you stayed out of trouble.”
Dorothy laughed. “Whatever lies you need to tell yourself. You could of course keep your own clients, your contacts and collections would be your own. We would simply collaborate when necessary.” She walked closer. “The simple truth is that we are both very good at what we do, but we’re even better together. We faced the Minotaur together and we won! What can’t we do if we put our minds to it?”
Trafalgar raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly. “Necessity often creates strange bedfellows. Very well. Perhaps on a trial basis, we could see if we can refrain from murdering one another for a few weeks.”
“There’s actually a case you could help me with. I put the client off until I was fully healed, but if you’re willing to operate in my stead...?”
Trafalgar considered the offer. “Yes. I would be willing to take a look at it.”
“Excellent. Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
Dorothy went upstairs, wondering what she had just done while finding herself excited at the prospect of working with Trafalgar. She went into her private office where she had left details of the prospective assignment, a job that could take them as far away as Chile if Trafalgar was willing to literally lend her a hand. As she crossed the room she paused and went to the bookshelf where her latest memento was displayed. The piece of the Minotaur’s horn that had broken off, which had then served as the means through which she negotiated their truce, had been sanded, waxes, and mounted on a piece of marble. She touched the smooth curve of the horn and remembered the pain and fear she’d been in when she first picked it up.
Strange bedfellows indeed, she thought. She took her notes from the desk and switched off the lamp as she left the office, trotting downstairs to share the information with her new partner.