Hearts of Smoke and Steam by Andrew P. Mayer Read Free Book Online Page B

But Emilio had already relented, and he allowed himself to be dragged along behind his sister, a smile on his face. Going down to the engine room might not be such a bad idea after all.
    On the other side of the cabin, his eyes landed on a sight that took his thoughts away from machines entirely.
    Most people on the boat wouldn't have bothered to notice the young lady. She was wearing an unassuming shopkeeper's dress, and a simple black hat covered most of her hair, but Emilio could see that a few blonde ringlets had slipped free from underneath of it. To him they spoke of a mystery that he would love to solve.
    The woman's head was turned downward, and she clearly trying to avoid the attention of anyone around her. Her desire to hide her face only made her more enticing.
    His curiosity was rewarded when the blonde girl finally turned her head toward him, revealing a mouth fixed in a frown so sad, delicate, and truthful that it made him catch his breath.
    Emilio slowed, and then stopped in his tracks, his arm quickly rising up to cover the distance between himself and his sister, who was still marching forward with his hand in hers.
    There was something about the girl that seemed familiar…But if he'd met her before, he couldn't quite place when, where, or how.
    Clutched against her chest was a battered brown suitcase. She held onto it in a way that made Emilio imagine that it must contain the most important thing in the world.
    He could feel Viola's fingers tearing away from his as he stood and stared, his mouth slightly open. His eyes followed the blonde girl as she opened the far cabin door. She stopped for a moment, looking wistfully at something up above them, and then slipped up the stairs.
    Once again he felt a jab in his side, but this time he didn't jump. “What's the matter with you?” Viola said to him with frustration in her voice. “Are you losing your mind?”
    He turned to his sister and smiled. “I'm fine. Let's not go to the engines,” he said as he pulled on his coat. “I have a better idea! Follow me!”
    They stepped outside, where the chill spring air was a shocking contrast to the humid warmth of the passenger cabin. “Where are we going?”
    Emilio looked around, trying to see what it was that must have interested the girl. When he looked up and out in front of the ship, he saw it. “Ponte di Brooklyn!” he said, pointing up at the massive bridge standing a few hundred yards ahead.
    “Since when do you care about bridges more than engines?” Viola asked with annoyance in her voice.
    “Let's go,” he said, and began to scamper up the metal stairs.
    “Idiot,” Viola muttered in English as she lifted up her dark velvet skirts and followed her brother.
    When they reached the top deck, they found only a few rugged souls who had decided to brave exposure to the chill weather on their journey down the East River—foolhardy tourists, parents with over-curious children, a few old men taking an impromptu constitutional, an artist with sketchbook in hand, and the blonde-haired girl. None of them seemed to be happy with their choice.
    Viola tracked her brother's gaze to the girl. “Now I know what it was that got you up here. It is nice to see you didn't leave your manhood back in Italy, but really, Emilio, she's far too skinny for you.”
    He frowned. “Hush or she'll hear you!”
    “Do you think that little thing speaks Italian?” she said with a laugh. “Girl! Look over here!” she said, raising her voice. “My brother has fallen in love with you!”
    No one bothered to glance their way, and if anything the girl made a concerted effort to ignore them.
    Emilio thought it must have been the bridge that she had come up to look at, but as they passed beneath the steel girders of the unfinished structure, the blonde girl's gaze moved around and faced behind the boat. Whatever she saw there had clearly shocked her. He saw the word no forming soundlessly on her lips, the same in either language.