The woman strode into the captain’s quarters without knocking. She still wore her wide-brimmed hat and goggles but had changed her coat for a studded leather jerkin and trousers. Her long auburn hair tossed around her shoulders as she walked, and her lips were set in a grim expression.
The veil she’d worn when in the captain’s quarters earlier had been a simple but effective way to observe her targeted prey and calculate how difficult it would be to “dispatch” them.
She’d been impressed by how quickly Griffin Sharpe had solved the little ruse about the lost telescope that she and the captain had come up with. But she’d also seen that the boy was naive and that his arrogant uncle was so oblivious to anyone but himself that it had been quite easy to capitalize upon their weaknesses. Neither of them had expected her surprise attack.
When she burst through the door to his quarters, the captain knew that it was she who was in command and not he. She was nothing like the meek and shallow tea sippers he entertained aboard his ship. This woman worked for the most dangerous man in London, and he knew that she was as deadly as she was beautiful.
“Miss Atrax,” the captain said, smiling nervously and removing his cap. “It’s an honor to see you again. I do hope that you’ll make yourself comfort—”
“Sit!” the woman commanded, with a brisk Australian accent. The captain, who had been standing next to his desk, promptly sat down.
“I have completed my assignment. The boy and his uncle have been eliminated as planned. We must embark for London immediately.”
“That was quick! Are you absolutely certain they were taken care of ?” the captain asked.
“Nobody could have survived the wreckage,” she said coldly.
The captain’s smile collapsed. “Well, I . . . I’m afraid that it’s quite impossible to travel to London right now. We’re not scheduled to depart until tomorrow. None of the passengers are aboard. I’m sure that Mr. Moriarty would understand . . .”
The look that Miss Atrax gave him made the captain pause. Then, with her icy blue eyes locked on his own, the woman strode over to his desk. The way she walked couldn’t help reminding the captain of some kind of predatory animal or insect. Her gait was slow, purposeful, and caused something inside of him, something deep and primitive, to feel a surge of panic as she drew closer.
She placed her gloved hands on the edge of his desk. Then she leaned over with her beautiful, pale face hovering just inches above his own.
“There is a certain spider in Australia commonly known as the funnel-web spider. Are you familiar with it?”
“I’m sorry?”
“The funnel-web spider,” she repeated. “Are you familiar with it?”
The captain gulped and shook his head. “No.”
“Pity,” Miss Atrax said. Then she smiled, enjoying the man’s obvious discomfort. “Allow me to enlighten you.”
The captain watched as the woman tugged at the fingers of her left glove.
“You see, for many years, the male of the species was often referred to as the most dangerous spider on earth. But recently, scientists have discovered that the female of the species is just as deadly . . . if not more so.”
Miss Atrax finished removing her brown kid glove. Then she lifted her left hand, turning it toward the captain so that he could get a better look at the ring that glittered on her third finger.
His eyes widened, noting the familiar shape. A diamond-encrusted spider crouched upon the band, its silver legs stretching almost to the lady’s knuckle.
“Do you like it?” she purred.
The captain’s mouth was suddenly very dry, and he felt unable to speak.
Miss Atrax continued while caressing the sculpture with the tip of her finger.
“The venom of this particular spider is extremely painful, and is nothing to be trifled with. You see, it is a hunter by nature and lays intricate traps for its intended prey.”
She turned her attention from the ring back to the sweating captain. The captain saw her beautiful blue eyes crinkle at the edges, but he could tell that her smile never really touched their icy depths.
“People who live in Australia have to be very careful where they step, my dear captain. For if they should agitate the web of this very aggressive spider . . .” She paused to bare her teeth in a wolfish smile. “They tend to find themselves in a right bit of trouble. And oftentimes, it’s much more than they can handle . . . if you get my meaning.”
The captain licked his lips and nodded.
“My pretty ring here contains enough venom from that particular spider to kill a small elephant. So, if you please, I’d like to avoid using it on you and would humbly suggest that we embark for London immediately.”
It was all the captain could do to keep from running as he strode from the room, heading directly to the quarters of his sleeping helmsman.