Falling Against Gravity Read online

  The butler was also working at reassembling the wireless transmitters and eliminating potential sources for fires after the mayhem. Envar had seen the ship shoot off and didn’t know what to make of it, but he would continue to serve the Fort family just as any other time Fort disappeared without warning, only to reappear later with wild tales and unbelievable stories. Envar couldn’t figure out why Mrs. Fort tolerated this erratic behavior, but it never seemed to phase her. And besides, Envar was paid to serve, not judge. And he would continue to do so until his services were neither required nor requested.

  After sweeping and shoveling his umpteenth pile of glass into a wheelbarrow, Ripley could hear a faraway droning sound. Actually, it was more of a palpable sensation; he could almost feel the sound. He rolled up his sleeves and noticed that the fine hair on his hands and forearms were starting to stand up like the hair on a tomcat’s back before a moonlit rumble. He walked up the stairs and over to an eastern window. Up over the hill, gliding through the air, the Nimbus appeared in all her wooden and brassy glory. The ship flew over the hangar and circled back behind the hill before dipping out of view.

  Ripley blinked his eyes quickly, over and over. He wasn’t sure if he really saw it or if his mind was unmercifully playing tricks on him. He threw down his shovel and raced down the stairs to the only door that was open. He slipped and plodded through the long wet grass, elation growing in his face. With burning lungs, he reached the top of the hill to see the Nimbus had set down and Fort wandering around in the field. Ripley fell to his knees and grabbed his side as a vicious stitch set in. He was not physically capable of such exertion. “Fort!” he gleefully screeched, grasping for breath. “You old dog! You did it!”

  Fort looked over and beamed. “Ripley! You’re here! Fantastic!”

  Ripley got back to his feet and painfully ran down the hill towards Fort.

  “Wherewereyouareyoualright?!” The two men garbled simultaneously. They threw their arms around each other and relished each other’s presence in the warm hug. Fort pulled away, grabbing Ripley by the waistcoat. “My good man, are you alright?” he gasped, sizing up his nicks, cuts, and bandages.

  “I’m fine, I’m fine! Where did you go? Where’s Zoya? Is she alright?”

  “She’s fine,” Fort casually responded, pointing to the ship. “She’s just stretching, I think. She’s been in that helmsman’s chair a lot lately.”

  “Where did you go? Where have you been? What happened?” Ripley exploded with curiosity.

  “Well, for no reason, we went up. Really far up. Really fast. It was like we were falling against gravity! The manometer, which isn’t terribly accurate, said almost five miles up. Nikola saved the day by changing something or other. He won’t tell me, and I have a sneaking suspicion that he doesn’t know why, but as you know, he would never admit such a thing. His pride will be the death of him, I’m sure. Zoya’s helmsmanship is, well, literally without compare.” Fort looked hard at Ripley. “But don’t ever tell her that I said that. Anyway, she got us down eventually. I’m not certain where we were exactly … eastern Canada somewhere, I think. But we found the coast line and followed it back over the last couple of days. Zoya’s really got a feel for it all!”

  "That's incredible!"

  Fort peered over Ripley’s shoulder. “Is Envar here?”

  “He was here earlier today. But he left again. He’s fine.”

  “So you’ve been here all along? By yourself?”

  “I wanted to be here when you all returned. I was worried. Naturally.”

  Fort stared at Ripley, smiling. “You’re a good friend, Leroy Ripley! Thank you.”

  Zoya stepped out of the ship, with one hand on her back and the other rubbing her neck. “Leroy!” She waved enthusiastically.

  His heart swooned as he waved back, a little too hard.

  “We need Envar here. We need to pack. We’re running out of time,” Fort grumbled, looking towards the horizon.

  “All in good time, old boy. You just got back. You have other things to take care of. You need to see Anna, I’m certain she must be worried sick.”

  “Yes, I should let her know that I’m okay. But then we need to get things taken care of. Distant shores and unknown adventures await us!”

  Ripley shuffled his feet across the muddy ground, leaving traces of his shoe print like delicate calligraphy. “Fort, you know I’m happy to see you home safe, but you are aware that I’m still not going with you on that thing. You know that, right?”

  “You say that now, Ripley, but wait until I tell you how amazing it is to see the stars at unfathomable heights!”

  Ripley’s stomach turned and gurgled even at the thought. “I’m here to help in any way I can, including looking in on Anna while you’re away and taking care of any business you need.” He looked earnestly up at Fort. “But I will never, ever be going off in that behemoth.”

  Fort looked at his pleading friend. He could tell that he was sincere, but he also felt that he could be swayed. He just needed a bit of convincing. “Yes, yes,” Fort brushed him off. “But first let me tell you about the stars…”

  CHAPTER 16

  The afternoon flew by and Fort regaled Ripley with tales from the ship’s maiden voyage. Ripley listened with his eyes wide and breath held. But eventually their energy waned and Fort caught a smell of himself. He could tell by the dark areas around Ripley’s eyes that his friend had not slept much over the last few days.

  Fort spun and fiddled with a brass key at his desk while he spoke. “Ripley, I shouldn’t go home looking like this. I’m going to stay here tonight have a rest and a bath after I make sure the Nimbus is secure. Plus there was some smoldering wiring we wanted to investigate and replace. But you, you should go back to the townhouse and get a good night’s sleep and let Anna know I’ll be home sometime tomorrow.”

  “Charles, you should…” Ripley caught himself. He didn’t want to have an argument again. “Alright. I am exhausted and a proper breakfast tomorrow sounds good. It’ll be nice to see Anna.”

  “Exactly. Envar can take you now and bring me back a few items tonight. Perfect.”

  Fort threw the key down amongst the papers on his messy desk as he hauled himself up slowly from his chair and strolled around his desk. He patted Ripley on the shoulder as he walked by on his way out the door.

  “I don’t think Envar likes driving me back and forth much.”

  “Oh don’t be foolish, it’s what Envar does around here. He’s the driver.”

  “If you say so, Charles. I’m too tired to argue anything. Send for your driver, my good fellow.” Ripley said, twirling his hand towards Fort. Fort smiled as he strolled out of his office and up to the railing overlooking the hanger and called for Envar. Ripley leaned forward and picked up the ornate key and delicately dropped it into his waistcoat pocket, almost without thinking.

  Later that evening, after Ripley fell asleep in the autocar, he managed to drool a bit on his lapel, embarrassing himself as they turned into Fort’s drive. Thanking Envar profusely, he tried to make himself presentable as he went into the house. Seeing he was rather rumbled, Anna immediately sent him off to get washed up.

  When Ripley got out of the bath he walked, leaving small, wet foot prints to the guest room. There was a loud squawk from down the hall that made his heart jump a beat. Anna’s parrots regularly startled him.

  “Don’t mind the birds, Leroy! Castor and Polly are getting cranky in their old age,” Anna called upstairs in her sweet voice. Her voice sounded like a perfect bell to Ripley.

  “It’s alright, Anna, I’ll be down in a minute,” he said with a smile. On the small side table in his room there was a tea set waiting alongside a couple of biscuits and a dish of elderberry jam. How could Fort not love this home life he has? Ripley wondered to himself. He devoured the biscuits and got dressed, letting his tea cool. With the delicate cup and saucer in hand, he made his way downstairs. Anna heard him and called him into one of several parlors they ha
d where she was working on a large needlepoint piece of Pinkie to go with her Blue Boy.

  The joy he felt walking in and seeing Anna smile gave him a tingle in his stomach. It was like they were a married couple. It almost felt like a dream. This would be a wonderful way to come home every day, he thought.

  “Now, don’t you look all spruced up, Leroy. Your color has returned to normal. Come sit and tell me about your day. I wish that my husband were here to tell me about his. Just what is keeping him so busy out in the country?”

  Ripley tried his best to explain why Fort had not been home much, but it was a conversation he had not prepared for. He felt like he was lying to someone he didn’t want to lie to. He started to feel anxious. His mouth was dry and getting ahead of him. When the words came out of his mouth, “You should see what he’s accomplished at the hangar. It would amaze you,” he meant it. But he failed to foresee what would happen next when Anna spoke.

  “What do you mean? What hangar? You mean the warehouse at the river? What has he done there? Please, Leroy, tell me what he’s doing. Charles is always so terribly vague.”

  “Well, he’s working on this project. It’s not just him. He’s got help. Great help. He’s fine.”

  “What project? I thought he was researching for his trip.”

  Ripley panicked. “Charles is just trying to build this thing. This mechanism. I don’t know how to describe it. It’s a thing…”

  Anna put her needlepoint aside and leaned forward in her chair. “Leroy, I want to see what Charles is working on. Take me to the warehouse. Please.”

  “Uh, Anna. I can’t take you. I’m too tired to drive. I don’t know what…”

  “I want you to escort me, Envar will drive. Please take me, Leroy.”

  Ripley didn’t know what to do. Anna rang a small bell on her side table.

  “Anna, it’s late. Charles said he’d be home here tomorrow. We can’t go there tonight.”

  “Leroy, is Charles there now?”

  “Yes, yes.”

  “Then take me to my husband, I want to see him tonight.”

  Envar came into the room with the slightest look of curiosity. Anna turned towards him and said, “Mr. Envar, please get the auto ready. Mr. Ripley and I are going to the ‘hangar’.” Envar looked at Ripley, who had never been seared by such a look before. He started sweating as he shrank into his seat.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Envar, we don’t need to go. There. Tonight,” Ripley stammered out.

  “No, Mr. Envar, I insist. Get the auto prepared for us, please.”

  Envar stood silently, his eyes moving between Ripley and Anna. Ripley wanted to die and make it stop.

  Anna spoke, “Mr. Envar?”

  Envar remained silent for a moment then spoke. “At this hour, Mrs. Fort? Are you certain? It’s quite late.”

  “Mr. Envar, it’s 8 o’clock. It’s not that late. The auto does have lights on it, right?”

  “Well, yes…”

  “Good. We want to leave in ten minutes, please prepare.”

  Envar looked back at Ripley for what felt like an eternity before speaking. “Sir?”

  Ripley looked at Anna. She looked stern and pleading at the same time. His heart hurt and he acquiesced. “Mr. Envar, we’ll be out in ten minutes.”

  Anna smiled in a way that made Ripley melt. But what had he done?

  Envar glared at Ripley in a rear-facing mirror the entire drive. Ripley had no idea what to do or say. He fidgeted with the key in his pocket while his brain spun what have I done? over and over again. He was starting to hyperventilate.

  Anna put her hand on his shoulder. “Leroy, are you alright?”

  He nodded in a jerking fashion as black spots appeared in his vision. Hold it together, man, he said to himself. You need to fix this. He forced his breathing to slow down and he tried to calm his mind. He squeezed the key so hard it left an imprint in his hand. Meanwhile, Envar’s gaze burned into him.

  “Anna, are you sure you wouldn’t rather go see a p-picture tonight? I would quite enjoy that for a change. I’ve been at the hangar a lot lately.”

  “No, Leroy, I want to see my husband. What have you been doing at the warehouse so much?”

  Think man, think! “Sweeping mostly, boring things.” He tried to sound nonchalant and it didn’t work. “It is a very dirty and dusty place. I don’t think you’ll like it there.”

  “If you both can spend every waking hour there, I’d like to see this place. And I want to know what Charles has been doing with all his time.”

  Ripley gave up trying to convince her, it was useless. “I think you’ll be quite surprised…”

  Envar shook his head ever so slightly and continued heading out of the city. Ripley shrunk into his seat, terrified about what outcomes he may have set in motion.

  An hour later, they pulled up the gated lane to the hangar. Envar stopped the automobile and got out. He walked slowly up to the gate, unlocked it, and stared up the lane for a moment before returning to the driver’s seat.

  Anna looked over at Ripley and joyfully patted his knee. “Oh, this is all so exciting.”

  Ripley gave her a weird and distressed smile in return as they traveled up the graveled lane.

  Inside the hangar, Fort and Zoya were finishing some soup and bread, looking at a large map of the eastern seaboard of the United States and Canada. Zoya put down her dishes on the counter and walked back to the table and leaned over the map resting her elbows upon it. “I don’t think we were that far north, Mr. Fort,” she said, tracing her finger on the coastline.

  Fort also put his dishes aside and walked up behind her and leaned over her to the side and lifted her hand and placed it higher up on the map. “We came down right there. I remember seeing those islands as we were descending that morning. That one there ... Prince Edward Island … it has a distinct shape, I remember it. And there’s the southern coastline of Nova Scotia into Maine, that’s where we saw a pod of whales – in that bay.” He tapped his finger into the map.

  “Oh, yes, perhaps you are right.”

  “Aren’t I always, Zoya?”

  She gave him a look and scoffed a little before they both started laughing.

  Ripley came walking along the promenade towards the kitchen with Anna in tow just as Fort and Zoya were giggling at the table. Fort was standing very close to Zoya’s behind.

  “Charles!” Anna exclaimed.

  Fort popped up straight, somewhat bewildered. “Anna. Ripley. What are you two doing here?”

  “Leroy brought me. He told me you were working on something fantastic.”

  Zoya pulled herself up off the table and turned to the pair in the door. Anna’s face changed and her smile evaporated when she saw Zoya’s beautiful face and figure.

  “Ripley, why would you bring Anna here?” Fort blurted out.

  “Ah, well, you see…” Ripley started.

  “Don’t be so rude, Mr. Fort. Please introduce us,” Zoya said.

  “Ahhh … Zoya, this is Anna, my wife. Anna this is Zoya, my ahh…”

  “Chief Engineer. What a pleasure to finally meet you at last. I have heard about you ever since I came to work for Mr. Fort.” Zoya walked towards her with her arm extended. She towered over Anna.

  “Y-you work for Charles? Here? I don’t understand. Charles, do you stay here overnight in this building with this woman?

  Zoya lowered her arm. She started to realize how this looked, given the fact that Fort had obviously been keeping secrets from his wife.

  Fort moved away from the table. “Ah, yes sometimes. But we obviously have separate quarters, Anna. She is just a mechanic, that’s all.”

  “Excuse me, just a mechanic?” Zoya lifted her eyebrow.

  Fort coughed. “Well, she’s more than just a mechanic, but she’s…”

  “How long has she been staying here?”

  “A little while,” Fort replied.

  “Almost two years,” Zoya pointed out.

  Anna’s eyes wid
ened. “Two years, really?”

  Zoya looked her straight in the eye and nodded slowly.

  “Well, this is all very strange. And what is it you are working on here? This place looks like a tornado struck it.”

  “More like a lighting storm, if you want to be precise,” Ripley interjected.

  Fort cleared his throat loudly and scowled at his friend. Anna noted his subterfuge.

  At that moment, Nikola noisily walked like a stone golem past the door in a homemade chainmail bodysuit carrying two batons. He stopped, looked in the door, looked at everyone, then noisily turned on his heel and kept walking down the hall in his cumbersome suit.

  Anna took out a handkerchief and dabbed her forehead. “Charles, who was that and what is going on here?”

  “Well you see, Anna, it’s all very strange and a little challenging to explain…”

  “Are you really heading across the Atlantic soon?” she questioned.

  “Yes, yes I am.”

  “May I come with you?”

  “Uh, er. No, Anna you can’t.”

  “Is this woman going with you?”

  “Yes, but, you see, I need her.”

  Both Zoya and Anna were surprised by these words. “But you don’t need me.” Anna started as her lip trembled.

  “No, Anna it’s not like that.”

  Everyone stood in an awkward silence for a painfully long moment.

  “Anna, how about I take you home now and explain everything?” Fort asked with a growing frustration.

  “Because I think you’d lie to me and I don’t want to be lied to, I’d rather be with a man I can trust. Leroy, take me home. Now.”

  Anna turned and marched out the kitchen door. Fort glared at Ripley with profound anger in his eyes. Ripley felt like he was withering under Fort’s gaze. Through clenched teeth, Fort sputtered, “You, Judas, why couldn’t you leave well enough alone? You had to try and prove to her that you’re a better man. Why, Ripley? Why?”