“You know her name?” Hiram watched the crowd.
“Er...”
“What the hell were you doing last night, playing gears and pistons with Gen?” He grinned. “Or maybe Miss Thea?”
“Oh hush,” Silas brushed the comment aside, frowning a little as he could see very few unattached women who weren’t wearing their work uniforms. Trammelbuggies at this time of day transported workers to the forges and furnaces, so those who weren’t in the dark grey clothes with the same-coloured cap were fairly obvious.
And there...one of the last to exit the carriage, was a woman wearing ordinary clothes. “Perhaps that’s her,” said Silas, moving forward. “I’ll ask.”
She stood unmoving as the final passengers swirled around her, her skirt unfashionable, her jacket a size too large, and her hat—well, it had seen better days. She had a large bag next to her on the platform, and Silas suddenly saw that in one hand was a cane.
He approached her slowly. “I beg your pardon, Ma’am, but would you by any chance be Genevieve’s mother?”
Her gasp was audible, and she would have fallen as she turned toward him, but he caught her just in time.
“You have her? You have my Gen? Is she safe? Oh, please...”
Tears flooded her eyes, green as emeralds, and Silas was a little breathless as he stood her upright. Her jet-black hair was coming loose from its pins, and her shirt had a smudge on the cuff, but in spite of all that, she was stunning.
Behind him, Hiram cleared his throat. “Gen is safe, and we can take you to her now. A friend of ours is with her.” He turned slightly. “This is Silas Gray, and I’m Hiram Fowler. Gen is at Silas’s house. We met her last night.” He picked up her bag.
“I’m Mrs Sinclair. Lyra Sinclair. I was so worried about my daughter,” she said, her voice low and a little shaky.
“I can assure you she’s well,” said Silas with a smile. “And very much looking forward to telling her Mama all her adventures.”
“’Tis only a short walk, Ma’am,” said Hiram. “So if you’ll come this way?” He headed for the exit, but their guest followed slowly, leaning on her cane.
“You must pardon my awkwardness, gentlemen. I have, as you see, a slight handicap.”
Silas frowned. “I am sorry to hear it. A recent injury?”
“No, and I apologise,” she answered. “I will do my best not to slow you down, sirs. Please go ahead. I will be right behind.”
For the first few minutes, both Silas and Hiram strolled slowly back along the platform toward the exit, but it was clearly slow and awkward going for Mrs Sinclair.
Hiram stopped and turned. “This walk is tiring for you, Ma’am, I can see that most clearly, and I’ll wager you didn’t sleepmuch last night. So, as gentlemen, we must lend our assistance.” He glanced at Silas. “Get the bag?”
Silas grinned and nodded.
“What...what...wait...” Lyra’s green eyes nearly popped out of her head as Hiram calmly picked her up as if she was a child, settled her in his arms, and strode off, with Silas, bag, and cane in hand, right behind him.
“I...I...oh, what are youdoing?” Her voice trembled.
Hiram smiled at her. “We’re helping you, Mrs Sinclair. That’s what we do here in the Undercroft. We help each other.”
Tears filled her eyes. “Really?”
“Really.”
Silas watched her face, seeing a little of Gen there, along with a lot of pain, confusion, and worry. She had a story, no doubt, and it was one he’d like to hear. But only after she’d been reunited with her little girl. A reunion he hoped would relieve some of the fears and tension that he could clearly see in her eyes.
“It’s going to be all right, you know,” he said quietly, drawing alongside Hiram. “We really do take care of each other down here.”
Lyra blinked, and then some of the tension left her shoulders as Hiram settled her even more comfortably. She managed a weak smile. “That’s nice to know.” She turned her head to look up at the large man carrying her. “And I will confess to enjoying this unique mode of transportation...”
Hiram, to Silas’s complete surprise, blushed.
*~~*~~*
