Colonel Peter A. Walter

Chapter Twenty-nine.
(A need for calm, A walk in the garden, Lights and bushels, and A kiss returned)

He still paced, and oscillated, but at least he was less frenetic about it. Both his alliterative babbling and the word 'dummins' had ceased escaping his lips.

"Oh, Colonel," she sighed. "It's all right, now. She's gone. You're safe."

"That... That was... That was..." He fumbled. He finally allowed himself to rest. Slumping in his chair. "That was completely unhygienic." A shuddering breath. "She utterly put me off my food, I'm sorry."

"Maybe a walk in the sunshine might settle you," she suggested, tidying everything onto the trolley.

"Not on the streets! Not alone!" Colonel Walter blurted much too fast and much too loud. "I'm never leaving this house on my own ever again."

The worst thing she could ever to do him, right now, was laugh at him. Or call his concerns unjustified. Or, frankly, to do anything the Admiral his father had done to him for his entire life. "How about a turn around the gardens?" she suggested. "And I can walk with you."

"Oh yes," he said, measurably relieved. "There's always less to worry about when you're around."

He was, of course, at the wrong height to give her his elbow. She'd have had to promenade alongside him whilst looking like she was riding the train. Therefore, he held her hand. They walked in silence through several scenes and past some statuary. Along the paths, some of which lead to obscure corners of the estate.

"The Admiral my father hates gardens," said Colonel Walter out of the blue. "He says they're for women to look at. I don't know why."

"Your father is a perplexing man," allowed Iris. "His views on gender are... frankly baffling."

He chuckled at that. "Yes. He boggles the mind." He paused to smell one of the flowers. "I don't even know where he got it from. My grandad was the kindest, gentlest soul. Patient and understanding... And by all accounts, my grandmother was so sweet that she almost perspired candy."

Iris giggled. "Perhaps he's the black sheep of the family?" Then she remembered that Colonel Walter preferred terms of science. "A statistical outlier, or some other negligible anomaly."

He turned and stared at her as if he were seeing her for the first time. A tiny mote of his former spark had finally returned to his amazingly blue eyes. "Miss Iris, have you been hiding your light under a bushel?"

O, to be warmed by that gentle twinkle for the rest of her life... Iris felt her blush begin, and his one kiss burn anew. "Colonel, I have been taking dictation from you for some small time, now. It's only a matter of course that I would absorb some of the terminology."

"And did you have something to do with The Spine's sudden clarity of speech?"

Iris stood pinned to the spot. The twinkle in his eye said that he was pleased. The severity of his tone and words said that she might have taken liberties. "I thought it needed to be done. Most of the oil you buy for them goes dripping out his mouth. I had a look at the issue, and tried to reason a fix. I didn't mean any harm by it..."

He whisked her over to a stone bench, sitting her on one corner and himself at the other. Then he leaned towards her so their faces were even. His tiny twinkle had grown into a definite spark. "Tell me everything. Your exact procedure."

Iris was dimly aware of a flash of binoculars from one of the windows. The Admiral was watching. She inwardly prayed that he would never hear about Miss Beauregard and her disastrous visit. She let herself become captivated by Colonel Walter's sparkling eyes and took a deep breath.

Explained how she used his lab equipment to pinpoint a leak in one of The Spine's lubricant pipes, and reasoned that it needed to remain flexible so he could move his head. Told him how she used his scientific library to research the making and patching of rubber. How she mixed his chemicals and her knowledge of physic to make a form of rubber bandage. And how, with the memories of him fixing them up in the first place, she took off The Spine's jaw to not only patch the problem, but eliminate the cause.

Face burning, heart sore, Iris finished with, "Please forgive me if I've taken too many liberties." She told herself that helping The Spine would catch his notice. And now that it had, she was unsure if it was benevolent.

"Liberties? Liberties? Miss Iris, I have been trying to unriddle how to fix that leak since the day it began. And you did it all while I was out lecturing. Independent study. Applied learning. You have a quick mind to match those quick hands. You simply must write two monographs as soon as you can!"

And once again, the Colonel had foxed the Admiral's plans for legacy progeny. But the Admiral would also see what he wanted to see, what with the two of them walking hand in hand, or sitting like that on the bench. Heads so close. Just a lean away from a chaste kiss.

Impulse made her lean, and lightly lay her lips against his cheek. A quick little peck, lighter than a butterfly.

All his breath left him in a slow hiss between his teeth. His eyes wide and startled. His expression much like that of a fish out of water. "Miss Iris... Whatever was that for?"

She smiled for just him. The Admiral would never see it. "Colonel Walter, I can not help but find you increasingly delightful." She stood, still blushing, and coaxed him off the bench. "Let's go begin those monographs."

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Chapter Twenty-eight.
(A solid campaign, A need for attention, A fix for a leak, and A very bad encounter)

Monday.

Colonel Walter was studying a fresh set of books in the scientific library. Taking fascinated notes. Iris set a table in his bedroom and all but dragged him there. Gentle touches to his bicep, chest, and shoulders were only possible once he was seated. Once she had him seated at some delicious food, she added gentle brushes of her hands against his

Chapter Twenty-seven.
(The absence of a gentleman, A strange elation,The end of her lessons, and A permanent invitation to tea)

Sunday. Her day off. Iris dressed in her street wear and dressed her hair demurely enough for the streets of San Diego. It would have gone well, had she not run into the Colonel on her way out.

The babies instantly crowded around her, fascinated by how she'd changed. Rabbit lorded it over Three And Four, who had never seen Iris

Chapter Twenty-six
(Surprising domesticity, Lost genius, True love’s kissykiss, and A scientific fairytale)

Iris scampered back to the kitchen with the rest of the prime steaks. If Colonel Walter or the Admiral noticed, nothing was said. Mrs Cambridge seemed used to it, and laid a place at the table as if it was no trouble a all.

Many maids drew straws to serve the Admiral his courses, whilst Colonel Walter received his piping hot and fresh from the stove.

He seemed

Chapter Twenty-five.
(The funeral, Sudden learning, Absent friends, and Another disastrous dinner)

Yesterday afternoon had been a medicine to his soul. Just what he'd needed to face today. He shaved and groomed himself with every care. To bid a lovely stranger farewell.

Somber, black clothes. No decorations. No shining jewels. Just the raven-black ribbon on his top hat. The Admiral his father said that mourning dress made Peter look like a lamppost in search of a corner. That could not be helped.

Chapter Twenty-four.
(The happy mask of an angry man, A need for more than legacy, Taking a stand, and Going to feed the ducks)

Iris was glad she had finished the current document that the Colonel had dictated. The Admiral's booming greeting nearly scared her out of her skin.

Especially since it was a genial, "There you are, my dear boy," he cheered as if Colonel Walter was a favoured rich relative. "So nice to see this place coming to order. And

Chapter Twenty-three.
(Enforced health initiatives, The need of invention, An enlisted automaton, and Some very despicable lies)

Admiral Reginaldfield Chesterpot Walter was absolutely certain that Mrs Clambridge was using his infirmity against him. She was making him take in sunshine. And forcing him to have regular bedtimes. And sitting him to meals that his wife used to make him eat. He also knew for a fact that she had confiscated every ounce of snuff in the house because all of his hiding

Chapter Twenty-two.
(The need for fixing, What must be done, Utter chaos upstairs, and How well did you know her?)

Iris could see the exact moment when her words killed him. The joy bled out of him, starting with the twinkle in his eye. Then the light in his presence. Then the straightness in his stance.

"No," he whispered. "No, it's not fair. No. No. No... I worked so hard..." His hands started to shake. No. Not shake. Wriggle. Like he was

Chapter Twenty-one.
(The freight train of recollection, How much was a dream? The automaton giraffe, and The worst of invitations)

For the first time since he'd began his desperate project, Peter was supremely comfortable. Rested. At ease. At peace. He was warm and relaxed and his only discomfort the growing pressure in his bladder. And a slight niggle of hunger.

Peter rolled over and opened his eyes to the familiar wallpaper of his bedroom. He didn't remember coming here. He certainly didn't

Chapter Twenty.
(Human levitation, Those things are babies, Where’s Pappy? and The worst news of all)

Iris later swore that she levitated off her camp bed and landed on her feet. Still snorting.

Miss Pamela was screaming at the babies, who did what babies do best with loud noises. Which was make a louder noise back.

Iris gathered her scattered wits and hollered, "Pamela, SHUSH!" Then it was just a matter of helping each machine calm down (cool water for their

Chapter Nineteen.
(Four metal people, Easily impressed, For want of a kiss, and The bad loud noise)

"See?" said Rabbit, they were using their best whisper. "Said I found Ma."

The Spine held one finger over his mouth. His version of tippy-toes was a nervous shuffle. Behind him were the new two. Units Three and Four. Their glowing eyes wide and curious.

"Whazzat?" said Unit Three.

Rabbit gestured in a showman-like way at Ma as she slept on the tiny, low shelf.

Chapter Eighteen.
(Rumours abound, An abhorrent abundance of sandwiches, Camping by the bell, and The persistence of exhaustion)

Iris didn't see it happen, but a thousand different rumours hurtled about the manor. Everyone knew that Colonel Walter had retreated to his lab, but word had it that the Admiral had gone up to shout him down. It was the first time that the Colonel had ignored the riding cane.

It shattered across his back, they said.

Then the Admiral attempted to use

Chapter Seventeen.
(Becile strikes! Delilah’s impending demise, The one thing he can do, and It wouldn’t be fair)

Peter stared at the words on the telegram.

Becile caused much damage to Cavalcadium with mechanical elephant and sonic weapon. Moreau injured and deathly ill. May not survive the night.

One of their mutual friends had sent it, but Peter could not read as far as that name. He kept reading the final two sentences over and over again. Hoping against hope

Chapter Sixteen.
(A worried automaton, Ma helps out, Pleased Pappy, and The humans also leak)

The Spine knew somehow that he was failing at everything. Rabbit was already the strongest and the fastest at learning. Rabbit never worried about breaking things. In fact, his copper sibling had to be actively discouraged from breaking things.

Rabbit liked the interesting sounds, and thought they were funny.

So when Ma came to show The Spine something to help him, he naturally thought that it was

Chapter Fifteen.
(Delilah’s influence, Their first show, Steak on display, and A solution for a problem)

Iris managed to spot the fabled Doctor Delilah Moreau in just as many seconds as Colonel Walter did. And instantly felt small, common, and invisible. Any woman standing beside Delilah Moreau would instantly look like a scarecrow.

Even she fell a little in love with her. She knew she was starstruck with instant infatuation. Iris made herself examine the woman beyond her outward appearance. And