Take Back the Skies (15 page)

‘That poor boy is a brute and a bully, and deserves everything I gave him and more. That was merely a bit of retribution. I couldn't resist, not when he doesn't recognise me.'

Alice sighed.

‘I suppose it did the trick. We're just lucky it was a guard you knew, rather than one you didn't.'

Cat grinned at her, then looked at Fox, who was still staring at her.

‘Anything to say?' she queried neutrally.

Fox shook his head, a bemused grin stretching across his lips.

‘That was impressive. And it makes me wonder what he did to you before you were Cat to get you to react that way,' he admitted.

Cat wasn't sure how she felt about Fox making that distinction – Catherine and Cat, two separate people. It was like Fox was splitting her personality, and only wanting to know half of it. She may have given up her Hunter heritage, but she wasn't completely disregarding the person she'd been.

‘He bullied a lot of younger sprogs when we were in school, thought he was sent from the storms himself because his father's head of rationing, and tried to betroth himself to me when I was eleven. That was when my father drew the line – he's had plans for my marriage since I was born,' she replied.

‘You government types and your arranged marriages,' Fox muttered. ‘Do any of them actually work?'

Cat thought about that for a long moment. She knew some people who were content with their spouse, and lived perfectly happily. But she couldn't state with any certainty that any of them would have
picked
that person.

‘I don't think so. But marriage to us – them,' she corrected hastily, seeing the look on Fox's face, ‘isn't so much about love, it's political strategy. Joining two families of status together to increase the status of both. No one cares if the people involved love each other. We're usually betrothed before we're old enough to know what love really is.'

‘Everywhere else in the world did away with them decades ago,' Alice mused. ‘One day Anglya will catch up.'

‘I don't know how you can think they're normal,' Fox remarked to Cat, wrinkling his nose.

‘I never said it was normal. It's just what happens,' she told him with a shrug. ‘Now, back on topic, how are we going to get close enough to listen in on Mrs Perkins and her friends? Even if I keep my cover as one of Miss Kasey's lodgers, they won't want a little orphan brat playing with their precious children.'

‘We could just sit on the grass nearby and talk. It's not like they own the place,' Fox pointed out, one eyebrow raised. ‘Unless they do.'

‘No, no, it's free land,' Cat replied. ‘And I suppose we could. We'll have to look busy, though, or they'll tell us to go to work.'

‘Well, we look more suspicious just standing here, so we'd better get a move on,' Alice urged, glancing at the group of women in the park.

Cat led the way over, sitting on the closest piece of grass; far enough away from the gathering of women that they wouldn't be caught eavesdropping, but close enough to hear most of what was being said. Urging Alice and Fox to start a light, superficial conversation, she leaned back on her hands, straining to hear what the ladies were saying. Most of it was frivolous chit-chat, but she perked up at a mention of guard duty.

‘Oh, my John has been working ever so hard these past months. But if he carries on the way he's going, he says, his commander will grant him another stud. And, of course, you know what that means,' one of the women told the group, and all of them burst into girlish giggles. Cat was given two near identical perplexed looks.

‘If John Catton gets a fourth stud his commander will give him leave to have a second child. Also, a pay rise,' she explained quickly.

‘Was John involved in that dreadful scuffle I heard about from Mr Graham the other day? I know it was in his area,' asked a woman with a squealing baby in her arms.

‘You have to get
permission
to have children in government?' Fox asked in an incredulous whisper.

Cat shushed him, but she'd missed Mrs Catton's response.

‘Only the second one onwards. Now, shut up and keep talking, they said something about a scuffle in John's area. That's South district.'

‘Shut up and keep talking?' Fox muttered with raised eyebrows, but resumed his fake conversation with Alice.

‘They're tightening security in the area, Harvey told me. Pulling in ninth and tenth for extra shifts.'

Cat winced; there went the easiest prospect of entering. South Gate was known to be the least guarded, being the one closest to Greystone.

‘How long for, do you know? Daniel is in tenth, and he's barely home as it is,' a woman with pale blonde hair asked, frowning, and Cat hid a smirk. The reason Mrs Ashdowne's husband was barely home was because he was having an affair with Mrs Bates's sixteen-year-old daughter. Something the older woman was obviously aware of, if the shifty look she had on her face was anything to go by.

‘It's all worth it, though, if it brings in the money,' Mrs Bates said kindly.

‘Are you getting anything from all this drivel, or can we carry on to Kentridge?' Fox asked impatiently, his foot bouncing. For a moment he reminded Cat of one of the young boys tugging on his mother's skirts a few feet away.

‘I've already ruled out South Gate entrance, so unless you count that important progress as drivel, cease your whining and let me listen,' she scolded sharply.

He looked both surprised at her tone and abashed at his childishness, and went quiet once more, turning as if he were listening to Alice talk.

‘Did you hear about Linda Bowen? She's been seen meeting Nathaniel Hunter for lunch.'

Cat froze.

‘Oh yes, apparently they're looking rather cosy. The man isn't even waiting until his wife passes, and he's making no secret of his dalliance. How very shameful! Especially after what happened with his daughter.'

‘Does anyone know what happened to her? There was
an article in the newspaper, but I'll admit, I was much more interested in the news that Marcus Gale has been betrothed to the Carter girl.'

Cat snorted quietly – Amelia Carter could have him.

‘According to the news, Lord Hunter says she ran away. It seems awfully suspicious, though. Harriet Cantfield says Lord Hunter sent her away with the Collection because she was being so dreadfully disobedient. She's his only heir, so maybe that's why he's stepping out with Linda. Elizabeth Hunter isn't likely to give him another from what I've heard. They say she's barely hanging on as it is.'

‘We're going. I've heard all I need to know,' Cat announced abruptly, tugging Fox to his feet with her as she stood. His eyes were knowing as they met hers, and she couldn't return his gaze. Alice got to her feet gracefully with Fox's aid, a look of concern on her face. She opened her mouth to speak, but Cat shook her head pointedly. She didn't want to hear it. She didn't waste any time in crossing the grass, and turned down the street that would lead to Kentridge.

‘We'd have to be mad to go in through North Gate, so East or West would be the better option,' Cat declared, determined to ignore what she had just heard about her father's new relationship.

‘What kind of man is your father that they believe he'd do such things to you?' Alice asked softly.

Cat shrugged, smiling humourlessly.

‘Not one you'd want to meet, I assure you. Personally, I'm surprised there's not a rumour saying he murdered me himself. It's what I always thought would happen to me.'

Alice paled, and she gave Cat a mildly horrified look.

‘Don't say that, that's awful!' she protested.

Cat didn't bother pointing out that it was simply the truth.

‘Keep an eye out here. Especially for anyone who looks like they're staring at me too long – I'm more likely to be recognised in these parts. I used to walk through here all the time. My house isn't too far past the walls.'

Fox nodded shortly, immediately wary, and Alice shuffled in a bit closer to both of them. Cat almost forgot to breathe when they turned a corner, only to walk straight past Thomas Gale himself. The man didn't even pause, his shoulder bumping into Fox's as he pushed past them, his stride quick. Fox was about to turn and shout after him, but Cat grabbed him and forced him forward.

He glared at her.

‘Why didn't you let me have a go at him? The arrogant sod needs to learn some manners!' he exclaimed angrily.

Cat elbowed him in the gut.

‘That “arrogant sod”, as you so aptly put it, is Thomas Gale. He's practically royalty – you must have heard of him. Calling him out on his lack of manners is like putting a
Shoot me
sign above your head.'

Fox's eyes widened, and he glanced back over his shoulder.

‘I expected him to be … taller,' he mused. He paused suddenly, looking over at Cat. ‘Didn't you say your father was going to betroth you to a Marcus Gale?'

Cat nodded, shuddering at the mention.

‘Thomas's second son. He's fifteen, and one of the most
awful boys I've ever met. And I've met you,' she added, a slight smile letting him know she was teasing. Still, he feigned hurt, holding a hand to his chest as if wounded. ‘But yes, that was Father's plan. As you can see, it didn't work out so well. Alice,' she called, surprising Fox at the abrupt turn in conversation. ‘How willing would you be to go alone around here?'

Alice stopped, looking at her curiously.

‘Alone? Why?' she asked. Cat pointed over at a small café full of women sipping tea and eating tiny sandwiches.

‘Mrs Gale's housekeeper is sitting just over there, the brunette in the grey skirt and green corset over her blouse. If you could get a cup of tea and listen to some of the women, you might learn a lot. But obviously it's not the type of place to let in ruffian teenage boys,' she added with a small grin.

Alice straightened her blouse nervously. She was visibly steeling herself, and nodded, holding her head high.

‘I'll meet you back at the ship,' she told them before walking off. Cat and Fox watched as she went calmly into the café, sitting at a table as if she'd done it every day for years.

Fox grinned proudly.

‘The woman has guts.'

'That she does,' Cat agreed with a smile, ‘but she'll be fine in there. Let's go, we don't have much time.'

She reached out, grabbing him by the arm to urge him towards a narrow alleyway.

‘Time for what? Where are we going?' he asked.

‘I'm taking you to the smithy. His apprentice is a blabber-mouth, and he's in charge of gate maintenance. After that I
have a quick errand to run.' She wasn't sure when she'd next get the chance.

‘What sort of errand?' Fox's voice was suspicious, and he stopped in his tracks. ‘Planning on dropping home to see your father? I'm sure if you asked nicely and married that Gale boy, he'd take you back.'

Cat smacked him across the face before he could say anything more.

‘How
dare
you! When will you get it through your thick skull that I wouldn't go back for all the money in the kingdom!' she hissed, taking a step closer to him. ‘I'm not going to sneak off, and I'm definitely not marrying Marcus Gale! Now, come on.'

She practically dragged him the rest of the way to the smithy.

‘I'll meet you back here when I'm done,' she told him, and he raised a copper eyebrow.

‘If you say so.' Huffing, Cat ignored him, turning back to sprint towards the high wall separating Greystone and Government Housing. She had to be quick, if she didn't want to be caught out.

It took barely any time at all for Cat to get to the tree she usually used to sneak back into her house. Fox's words were ringing in her ears as she ran; how could he possibly believe she wanted to go back to her father? Did he not know her at all? Seething with anger, she scrambled up the tree and over the wall, easily crawling through the loose fencing panel behind the bushes. Her father was supposed to be at work; she could only hope he was sticking to his schedule.

The spare key was exactly where it usually was, and as Cat didn't have a lockpick with her she dug it out from beneath the flowerpot, unlocking the door with a quiet click. The house looked strange after her time away from it, and the extravagance she had grown up with suddenly made her nauseous. Leaving her muddy boots beside the door so as not to leave footprints all over the house, she raced up the stairs, heading straight for her mother's room.

‘Mother, I –' She trailed off as she pushed through the door, eyes widening. All her mother's things were there, her photographs on the shelves and her clothes in the wardrobe, but the bed was empty, the sheets turned down. Cat
stepped forward, running a hand over the blanket at the foot of the bed. Where was her mother?

‘Mistress Catherine.' Cat startled at the voice, whirling around to see Samuel standing in the doorway. He looked a little worse for wear, but was still functioning well. ‘You have returned.'

‘Not for long, Sam, and you
mustn't
tell Father I was here. I just came to pick up a few things, and have a look around. I … Where's Mother?'

‘Mistress Elizabeth is gone,' Samuel's voice was blank, and a lump rose in Cat's throat.

‘Gone? You mean … she's in the hospital, right? With the doctors?'

‘Mistress Elizabeth is gone,' the mecha repeated. Cat didn't ask again, not sure she wanted clarification. Surely it couldn't have happened so soon. The women had said Elizabeth was on her way out, but not … not dead. She had to be in the hospital.

Pushing the thought away forcefully, knowing she didn't have much time, Cat set about rifling through the drawers, looking for anything helpful. Had her mother known anything about the truth of the war? She
had
been best friends with the queen; surely if Mary had confided in anyone, it would have been Elizabeth. Still, if Elizabeth Hunter had known what the government was up to, it wasn't visible in any of her possessions. She didn't keep a journal, or any sort of written account. No old letters to her best friend, just a small stack of photographs. Cat pocketed one of them, a faint smile on her face as she looked upon her five-year-old self in the arms of King Christopher,
Prince James on the floor with an arm wrapped around his father's leg. The king had been a kind man, and a fair ruler from all accounts. It was truly a shame, his disappearance.