Earlier, Elsie had been walking through the crew’s quarters with a mind to pay Tilly a visit when she overheard Jack and Professor Goodwin speaking in the hallway. Naturally, she hid in one of the rooms, and listened as carefully as they could. “He’s alive!” Goodwin said. “Are you certain?”
Jack’s voice was steady as he spoke. “The paper that Backhaus stole from me had Vandenberg’s signature on it, and it was signed January this year. I’m telling you, Robert, he’s alive, and he’s been jumping from base to base ever since you called it quits on the Corporation.”
“I believe you Jack, but as a figure of speech, this news is hard to believe. But if this is the case then we ought to be careful. Vandenberg was my friend once, I knew him very well, and I know exactly how dangerous he can be.”
As they spoke, they made their way up stairs. The Rosanne had surfaced, and no doubt they went outside so as to avoid people like Elsie eavesdropping on their conversation. Elsie watched them leave, and once they were gone she stared into the emptiness of the hallway, as if their shadows were still there. From the quiet of one of the rooms came a voice. “Elsie? What are doing there?” It was Tilly.
Tilly Eveans was indeed a very different person once she was outside of the engine room. For starters, she was a little shorter, and on the occasion that she had just finished washing up, she was a great deal more lady-like. Her face was smooth and flush, spotted here and there with a few freckles, and her hair – which used to be knotty – now fell gracefully around her shoulders. As for her attire, she wore a simple, not too over-the-top blue dress that fitted strangely around her figure, until Elsie realised that the dress much have belonged to Doctor O’Donnell. “Oh, Tilly, hello.” Elsie smiled at her and tried not to act suspicious. “How are you?”
Tilly gave her a strange glance, and noticed Mr. Dunstan trot across the hallway and down to the flight-room. A slow grin fell upon her lips. She raised her eyebrows. “You were spying on Riley, weren’t you?”
Elsie sighed and shook her head. “Never mind. I like your dress.”
Tilly glanced down at in uncomfortably. “Thanks, I can’t remember the last time I dressed up like this. It belongs to Fiona, I didn’t pack anything other than my work clothes so… Oh, you’re still good for games night tonight, right? It’s also my sister’s birthday so Fiona said we can have a little celebration in her room.”
“Of course, but do you always celebrate people’s birthdays, even when they’re not around?”
Tilly rubbed the back of her neck. Her tone became solemn, and soft. “My sister passed away a few years back. It was her birthday when it happened, so now every year I try to do something fun. It helps me get by, and I think it’s what she would have wanted.”
Elsie hardly knew what to say. “Oh, I… I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay.” There was a small window of silence, and then she said, “Well, Fiona said she was going to show me how to put proper makeup on. She keeps telling me that engine grease is bad for my skin. Anyway, I should get going. I’ll see you tonight, okay.”
Elsie nodded. “Definitely.”
ns 172.70.43.64da2
