Moonlight Secrets (#2 Penderry's Bizarre)

Chapter Two

Jim climbed into the basket of the gas balloon, perched his pilot goggles in his hair, and met with a slap round the face.

"Ow. What was that for?"

His passenger, Nancy, folded her arms. "How dare you, Jim Penderry?"

He rubbed his stinging cheek, brows raised.

So overdramatic.

Nancy was an actress and dancer by trade, so he supposed she couldn't help it.

"You swore this wouldn't happen again. This was supposed to be a romantic balloon ride. It's bad enough you brought him along." Her plump red lips formed a pout, and she gestured at the scruffy servant with an eye-patch who worked the gas.

"Who, Blinks? He's my friend's valet. We're fortunate to have him for the evening."

"I'll let you off for that. But not for leaving me up 'ere while you run around the park, shooting deer or whatever that was."

"A werewolf."

She trilled with laughter, flicking her wrist. "A likely story. Do I look like some silly tart to you?"

"Well, of course not."

"Save your lies."

While she continued to tell him off, Jim motioned at Blinks to pass him the spyglass from his satchel. He raised the lens to his eye and tried to locate the creature. Blood marked the snow, but the trail ended at the lake's edge.

"Take us lower, Blinks," he instructed.

Blinks obliged and released some gas from the balloon.

"Why can't you just behave like a normal young man?" asked Nancy.

"I'm afraid there's nothing normal about my line of work, Nancy."

"Well, I've had enough."

"Confound it. The blasted thing has escaped." He suspected it had gone to ground somewhere to lick its wounds. With an apologetic smile, he turned to Nancy. "I'm sorry. How can I make it up to you?"

The smile worked, and Nancy's anger weakened. She uncrossed her arms and twisted a black curl around her finger. "All right. I'll give you one more chance."

At that moment, a sweeping gust of wind rattled the gas balloon. Jim gripped the safety rail and peered over the side of the basket to discover a clutch of oak trees in their path.

"More height, Blinks."

Blinks worked the gas supply with worry in his eye. "Er, we might have a problem, sir."

"What is it?"

"I think we've run out of hydrogen."

The words barely left his mouth before a splitting crack arose beneath their feet. The basket struck the treetop and Nancy screamed.

"Tare an' hounds!" Blinks took hold of a rope for support.

They smashed deeper into the trees, and a ripping noise came from above, followed by the whistle of escaping gas.

Jim ducked an incoming branch. "Hold on, everyone!"

Their alarming descent ended with a bump when the basket became lodged within the crown of an oak. Varnished silk deflated upon them, and the trio fended off the torn balloon. Jim tossed the material away and Blinks surfaced, his good eye wide and his breathing rapid. The crash had shaken them both, but at least the basket now appeared to be stable.

A relieved grin stretched Jim's lips, and he laughed. "By golly, that was a close one."

Blinks located his misplaced hat and chuckled. "Aye, sir, for a moment there I feared the worst."