Together on Ecarte Island

The Lux Continued

The Lux had also provided a special space for Gilbert and Dietfried's mother while on family outings. It was a small sitting room with all the toiletries a woman needed to relax and freshen up. A highly decorated pitcher held fresh water to its capacity and it sat beside a wash basin on a stand. A vast amount of oils and soaps lay in a porcelain platter. Clean linens for washing and drying lay folded nearby.
Violet undressed completely and looked at her slender, naked reflection in the vanity mirror. She stretched out her mechanical arms testing their range of motion and listening for the slightest of squeaks from any of the numerous joints. Whenever she heard one, she immediately took out her bottle of special lubricant and performed maintenance adjustments to silence the sound.
The possibility of putting Gilbert in harm's way due to knowledge of her prothesis would be unforgivable. Violet strengthened her resolve to keep her mechanical arms in working order as well as a tight secret.
"So," Dietfried ventured, as he and Gilbert went out onto the deck from the hull, "You taught your weapon of war to speak, to read, and to behave as a lady that our mother could approve."
Gilbert kept his sight on the water and said nothing, knowing full well where Dietfried's comments were leading.
"And now you've groomed her to warm your bed." Ah, and there it is.
Gilbert looked at him bitterly, but kept his temper. He did not personally care what Dietfried assumed of their relationship, but hinting of Violet's virtue being compromised was simply not to be tolerated.
"For over the last six months Violet has taken care of me." Gilbert began after a thoughtful moment, "She has fed me, kept our home in order, has mended most every article of clothing I own, and has given me the most needed of company. Being lonely can make you feel ill in mind and body. I was ill for a long time, but she has healed me just by being there, and never ONCE in my bed. And after all of that, you just can't help but throw her in the category of every woman you've taken for yourself, can you?"
Dietfried listened but in the end shrugged. "It has apparently been proven time and again that my taste in women drive me to those who care more for fine jewelry and gowns than having children. So, now it's on YOU and your Violet to carry on the Baugainvillea name."
Gilbert nodded. "I asked her to marry me just last evening and she has accepted."
Dietfried looked out to the sea. "Our mother would be pleased." he replied, placing a hand on Gilbert's armless right shoulder. "Now, about your surgical procedure tomorrow-"
"SURGICAL PROCEDURE TOMORROW?"Gilbert exclaimed, "WHAT??"
"Well, Dr. Bashey was able to fast track your procedure to tomorrow. Call it an appreciation for getting a nephew back home from the war alive and intact."
"But, Violet-"
"Violet understands that being an armless, eyeless former MAJOR of the Leidenschaftlich army makes for a target that is growing bigger by the day, even on an island as remote as Ecarte." Dietfried declared.
"Becoming THAT dangerous, eh?"
"Yes, afraid so, but, at the very least, most everyone thinks you are dead. Dr. Bashey knows you are alive, of course, and everyone at CH, but all have been sworn to secrecy there, not so very much for your sake as much as it is for Violet's. Her former co-workers are fiercely protective."
"Yes, that I know." Gilbert agreed. "How did you know to come get us off the passenger ship anyway?"
"Well, I should have just sailed The Lux all the way to Ecarte but she needed quite a few repairs before taking on a voyage so far. But I had a hunch something might start brewing because I knew Colonel Foxx would be onboard for a tour of some nearby treaty nations. I wired Captain Capelli for his coordinates by early morning, and told him I was coming to fetch a passenger by the name of Jilbert. Capelli agreed to anchor at a specific point IF I would bring to him the Leiden police inspector to investigate the murder attempt of the Colonel by three boys out of Scalia. A fair enough trade, I'd say. Didn't expect you two to have been so damned involved, though!" Dietfried let out a boisterous laugh, "I applauded you, little brother, and Violet, too, for bravely apprehending the three, but not before I cursed you both for being SO perpetuous! Now EVERYONE wants to know this 'One-Eyed Jack and His Lady Fair'!"
Gilbert nodded. "I was on the lookout for anything suspicious because of your telegram. At that point I had not even breathed a word about it to Violet, but she was suspicious of the boys, too, somehow. Remnants of military training, I am supposing. They certainly weren't being too careful about it. If they had been professionals, the Colonel would have most certainly been dead."
"Little rat bastards," Dietfried growled. "The use of child soldiers seems to be the issue. These university students are spreading a hyperbole like wild fire about how the Leidenscaftlich army kidnapped ALL the street children and trained them ALL up for combat.  But we know for fact that Violet was the only known child soldier."
    "She had the skills of ten highly trained adult soldiers  in the end, though." Gilbert confirmed in a faraway voice that was neither particularly happy nor sad, just stating fact.
     "Yes," Dietfried agreed, "But now the truth does not much matter to the crestfallen young ones, apparently.  We just have to put out fires where we can.  You and Violet defused a potentially devastating one last night.  Well done, little brother."
     Dietfried stayed on top deck, barking orders to the three cadets.  Gilbert retired below to clean himself up.  Violet was just exiting the toiletry sitting room, looking and smelling as fresh as her namesake. 
     Gilbert caught her to him and kissed her mouth. Having such privilege for such a bold act thrilled him to the very core.  The ship lurched just a bit and Gilbert, to remain stable, pressed Violet against the oak panel of the wall.  Her body pinned there along the length of his own made his blood race and his kiss deepen.  Violet matched his passion, her arms snaking about him.      
     Gilbert lightly touched the tip of his tongue to hers, a component of deeper kissing that was new to her, but welcomed.  He reluctantly broke away from her, murmuring something about needing a good scrub down.
     "Are you able to hear any sound at all?" Violet asked, taking her arms from about him, then actively bending her arms and rolling about her wrists. 
     Gilbert looked away and listened carefully.  "No, not at all." he replied, after a moment.
     Violet nodded, and dropped her arms to her side.  "Just make me aware if you hear squeaks or clicks, so that I may fix them quickly.  I'll try to keep them maintained and secret."  Gilbert touched her face lovingly, then lifted her chin for a last quick kiss before leaving her to clean up.
     Violet was sitting on an overstuffed chair, looking through a photo album Gilbert had compiled as a child when he returned.  She sat it aside, as Gilbert took a seat on the chair's small ottoman in front of her.
     "The surgeon who attached your arms will attach my right one tomorrow." he informed her.
     A tiny gasp escaped her, as a gloved hand flew to her mouth.  "So soon!"
     "Yes, it is."
     "That's wonderful!"
     Gilbert sighed and smiled.  "Dietfried has made it possible and has thought to keep it all very discreet." 
     Violet gathered him up in her arms again. "I'll do everything within my power to see you through it."
     Gilbert breathed her in as she held him and had a sobering thought.  "But. . . who had been there for you?" he mused aloud, knowing full well there had been no one.
     Gilbert felt Violet's cheek against the top of his head and heard her say.  "Thoughts of being near you again."