The Delta Pearl 71 — Blow

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Saturday, April 24, 2021

Pixabay (altered image)
Pixabay (altered image)

Thank you for coming back to the river, my chuckaboos!  I’ve been working on “Teagan’s Books” this week. If you look at the headings just below the 1920s banner image, you’ll see that I’ve made a page for Dead of Winter.  I’ve also revamped my Designed & Ready Book Covers page.  Several new covers are waiting for stories.  I also added a “Pets” cover category.  Now, back to the business at hand — the steampunk riverboat!

“The Delta Pearl” is here.  I’m using another “random reader thing” today.  Months ago, Olga Núñez Miret left one that was perfectly suited to a Victorian setting — a handkerchief embroidered with an initial.  You’ll have to read to the end of this episode to find out how it blows into this chapter.

In case you’ve forgotten, here’s a Link to the previous episode.

Without further ado.

All aboard!

The Delta Pearl

Chapter 71 — Blow

Eugene Ivanov, Wikipedia
Eugene Ivanov, Wikipedia
 

Strands of my hair tickled my face as a breeze stirred.  The porthole across from me was not the source, though it probably drew the air.  I looked toward the doorway.  There must be an open window in there.  I wondered if it would be in a place that might show me the river if I looked outside.  I had never thought I would be afraid of being too far away from my riverboat home.

“Émeraude,” I heard my name murmured again.

Speaking tubes hung in a neat line on the side of a desk behind me.  My name rattled faintly from one.  Tension in my shoulders relaxed minutely.  Hearing my name spoken is such a strange rasping disembodied voice was creepy.  Knowing that it came from a speaking tube made it less weird.

Lifting my hand toward the device, I hesitated.  I wasn’t sure which tube produced the voice.  The clockwork bookworm inched out from the pleats in my sleeve.  It made a ticking sound that was a lot like tsk-tsk.  The amazingly bright blue apatite eyes glittered at me.

“I suppose you would be called Apatite?” I asked the mechanical worm, and I was rewarded with a pleased sounding pat-pat.

“Ap-pat…  Tick-tick,” it admonished me and hopped from my sleeve to the closest speaking tube.

I picked up the flexible end of the copper tube.  The clockwork creature inched to the funnel-like mouth piece, muttering its ap-pat sound the while.  A whisper emanated from the tube.  As I lifted it closer to my face, the bookworm jumped to the desktop.

Office speaking tubes hanging on desk, circa 1903 Wikipedia
Office speaking tubes hanging on desk, circa 1903 Wikipedia

“Émeraude,” the barely audible voice came from the speaking tube.

“Blue?  Blue John is that you?” I spoke into the mouth piece and then placed it near my ear.

“Émeraude, go back to the Delta Pearl.  It eent theirn — it’s ourn.  They musn’t take her.  I’ll stop Malachite or die trying!” Blue John Boulton whispered fervently.  “There’s naught ye can do to help me.  I’m wounded but I can take him to hell with me.”

How could I tell the desperate Mate that I had no way of getting back to the riverboat?

“Blue!  Don’t do anything rash,” I whispered urgently.  “Blue?” I asked, but I only heard a clatter as he put down the tube.

Just beyond the doorway, once again I heard the rustle of crisp taffeta cloth.  The sound swished closer.  It was accompanied by soft humming of a woman.  I recognized an old Cajun lullaby that Jaspe used to sing to me when I was a child… Dors, dors p’tit bébé.

A gust of air blew from that direction.  A muffled utterance of surprise reached my ears.  The wind carried a fine silk handkerchief as far as the doorway.  I could see that it was embroidered with the initial C.

The sounds of movement drew closer.  I knew I should hide, but where?  There was nothing that would conceal me.

***

End Chapter 71

***

Well now, I’m not quite sure what to make of that.    Until next time, my chuckaboos!

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Dead of Winter — The Journeys So Far

DDoW first 4 girl wolf golden
Image collage by Teagan Geneviene

If you haven’t already joined the journey, you’re just in time to curl up with a nice-sized bite of reading.  All three together are under 200 pages — you can catch up before the fourth installment is published.

Journey 4, the Old Road

Kindle:  relinks.me/B092G5LB7R

Paperback:  relinks.me/B092M51Y88

Journey 3, the Fever Field

Kindle: elinks.me/B08XTNZ9M8 

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08XXY3JXF

Kobo:  Dead of Winter: Journey 3, the Fever Field eBook by Teagan Riordain Geneviene – 1230004609599 | Rakuten Kobo United States

Journey 2, Penllyn

Kindle:  relinks.me/B08VMNSF97

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08VLMR2KD

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dead-of-winter-journey-2-penllyn

Journey 1, Forlorn Peak

Kindle:  relinks.me/B08RBBVRGX

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08R7RH4F5

Kobo:  Dead of Winter: Journey 1, Forlorn Peak eBook by Teagan Geneviene – 1230004446033 | Rakuten Kobo United States

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This is a work of fiction.  Characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2016 and 2021 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved. 

No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.

 

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70 thoughts on “The Delta Pearl 71 — Blow”

  7. Yes, how is Émeraude going to get back to the Delta Pearl?
    Whose “C” is that?
    Is Blue John going to go to hell with Malachite?
    Well, I’ll just have to come back to find out!
    Thank you, Teagan! {{{hugs}}}

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Oh, thank you, Robbie. I appreciate you going to that trouble. Previously I tried to have variety in the look of the page by using different styles of image galleries. However, most of them didn’t show enough of the individual images, and/or made it more effort for the viewer to find everything. I’m more satisfied with how it looks now, ever if there are fewer styles of presenting the covers.
      I’m happy you enjoyed this chapter, my chuckaboo!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

          1. Thank you, Teagan. I quite like that idea. It is fairly easy for me to write poetry and short stories compared to a novel. Novels go slowly for me because of the research. I thought participating in anthologies while I write my novels was a good way of keeping some momentum with publication.

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply

  10. Thank you for taking me back to another, beautifully crazy world with the Delta Pearl, Teagan. I definitely prefer the Delta Pearl to this place where I live. Lol It’s always a special honor to be able to read it. I hope that you can enjoy the weekend, and I wish you a good rest. Michael xx

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Michael. I’m so happy you enjoy visiting here.
      Saturday is very much a workday for me, with blogging and working on the story, but I enjoy it very much. Now I’m ready to “call it a day,” and relax. Thanks for spending part of your weekend here, my chuckaboo!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. It’s good that you find some rest, Teagan! This is all the more important the more you enjoy something. Thanks for another great episode. I hope to read the second episode of your serial soon. All the best, and take care, Teagan! Best wishes, Michael

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  11. Oh dear. Poor Blue John. This on got quite tense, Teagan. I do love the way the clockworks “talk.” That’s so cute. I’m looking forward to the next one. Things seem to be steaming toward a climax! Well done.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Hi Ms. Frances. ❤ Cool beans — I'm glad you found the pictures!
      Yes, I put the title "Cliffhanger Maven" on my resume, so I have to live up to it. 😀
      Stay happy and sassy. Thanks for spending part of your day here, my chuckaboo.

      Like

      Reply

  13. Yikes! No place to hide. That sounds ominous. 🙂 But, I am thrilled that she got to talk to Blue John! At least we know he is alive…for now. Great segment, Teagan! And I love the new look of the website!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I’m happy you enjoyed the chapter, Jan. Thanks about the website. I ended up losing my About Teagan’s Books page while making the others… (eye roll). But I already intended to revamp it too. Maybe starting it from scratch is for the best.
      Thanks for reading and commenting, my chuckaboo!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  14. For someone who has been totally sheltered aboard the Delta Pearl, Emeraude sure is all alone now, except for the clockwork worm. The fate of Blue John is worrisome, and the fate of all those still aboard the Delta Pearl is worrisome as well. I hope Victor comes through with an invention that saves the day.
    Ginger

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Hi Ginger. Emeraude is a bricky girl. I wouldn’t underestimate her. Being raised on the riverboat she has met all sorts of people, including some inspiring ones like Eliza. Maybe she doesn’t have to depend on a man to rescue her. Happy weekend, my chuckaboo!

      Like

      Reply

  19. Love this chapter and now I’m discombobulated. Is this taffeta-wearing woman the same one she fled from on the Delta Pearl? Fascinating to hear from Blue John and the bookworm is growing on me. You do leave us on tenterhooks, Naughty Teagan. Anticipatory hugs shrugging your way.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. I had to re-read this chapter to finally understand it. Thanks for the link. Too many days to both the next chapter and the next Journey. I’m also awaiting to read more about the Leopard. I need patience, RIGHT Now! LOL

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

          1. Maybe I’m old school but next week (when we will hopefully read the next chapter) or next month (where we will hopefully read the next Journey) is not instant in my book. And yes, I am grousing.

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply

  21. Hmmm, if you’re not sure what to make of it, what do I do? Oh, I show up next week, I got it. Now I’m worried about Blue and Émeraude. I hope Victor is working on a way to get them back. I love the way the clockwork worm is helping her.

    Until next week.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Good morning, Dan. LOL, that sounds like an excellent plan. 😀
      I’m afraid Émeraude is very much on her own. It’s time she became her own rescuer. Making the second rocket would have used up most of the resources Victor would have been able to scrounge up on the riverboat. He might be able to MacGyver up enough to get one person up there… But Victor would be no match for Malachite. Neither would Émeraude for that matter.
      Maybe he could use whatever to get The Dealer up there… Blue John is too injured to help. (But would any of those possibilities be truly satisfying as an ending?) Yes, it’s all “up in the air” at this point, and a corner I’ve painted us into too. Are there corners in the air? Maybe there are now. LOL. Thanks for a wonderful comment, my chuckaboo!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. LOL. You have me grinning like a velociraptor dinosaur, GP. (Meaning a very big bwa-ha-ha-eyebrows-bobbing kind of grin. Yes, I just now made that up.) Oh, I need to email you a question, that also just popped into my head.
      I’m happy you enjoyed this chapter, my chuckaboo!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  24. Oh, very intriguing! Love the old pics of the speaking tubes, and the song. It does sound familiar to me… And thanks for the mention! I’m happy my object came in handy… and so mysterious. Good luck with the covers and everything. Big hugs!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. I had never heard the song, Olga — although in my circumstances that’s to be expected. Anyway, I gathered it is pretty well known. I stumbled upon it while researching, and was so taken with it, that I had to use it. Thanks for such a perfect “reader thing.” Hugs winging back to you, my chuckaboo!

      Like

      Reply

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