Free When a Rake Falls by Sally Orr Page A

cold air, and her fast heartbeat convinced her that her altitude calculations were correct. They had not lost altitude significant enough to be in any immediate danger.
    She examined the balloon above her and observed additional evidence that they were indeed very high. The silk balloon had taken on a silver sheen from a thin coating of frost. The frost also coated the rigging, making the ropes resemble waterfalls of liquid silver.
    Pushing Parker into a more comfortable upright position, so he’d have fewer pains when he woke, she shook his shoulders until he moved slightly. She then sat and pulled his arm over her shoulders. “Are you well?”
    He nodded sleepily. “Tired.”
    Then she wrapped them both tightly with the wool-lined oilcloth. She snuggled her face into his firm chest and soon fell asleep.
    She woke when Parker suddenly sat board straight.
    â€œI’m leaking,” he exclaimed. “Look at me.”
    After a moment to gather her wits, she rubbed her eyes and made a quick assessment of their circumstances. She found him holding his nose with his handkerchief. Gently pulling his hand away, she found fresh blood staining the snowy linen.
    â€œTell me. Have I stuck my spoon in the wall?”
    â€œNo, you haven’t.” She rose to her knees and grabbed his handkerchief. “You are bleeding from the altitude, nothing more.” She dabbed the balled linen on his nose and discovered the bleeding had ceased. “There, the bleeding has already stopped.”
    He looked skeptical. “Look at my coat. It’s ruined. We’re both disheveled.”
    She bit her upper lip and reached for his hand. “Honest, you are well. Why don’t you get up and see? I hoped we might catch a magnificent sunrise this morning, but we must have missed it because we are shrouded within bright clouds at the moment. Although, I bet you have never been inside a cloud before.”
    With a quick glance at the wall of gray surrounding the basket, he dismissed any interest in viewing the inside of a cloud. Instead, he stood to survey his attire. Then he brushed his trousers, coat, and waistcoat. “Don’t suppose you have a looking glass on board?”
    She had never heard that question before in a balloon. “No, remember weight is at a premium. We usually don’t carry such frivolous items.”
    He swirled his tongue over the front of his lower teeth. “What I wouldn’t give for a little tooth powder too. I suppose no powder?”
    She shook her head, smiled, and glanced up at the balloon. They had broken through the clouds, and the morning sunlight began to warm the balloon. As the gas heated, the balloon swelled rapidly, causing the great pleats of silk to unfold with a sound similar to ripping canvas.
    She busied herself with a current reading of her instruments and calculated their present elevation. They were much lower than expected, so she consulted the Results book to determine if their current height would be sufficient to complete the next experiment. Previous explorers had observed spices lose their taste on high mountains, like the peak of Tenerife. So this experiment would test the previous observations to determine if the taste of various spices became insipid in rarefied air. “If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like you to assist me in our final experiment.”
    He spun to face her, a glint in his eyes. “Ho, ho, would I.” He surveyed the small space of the basket. “But what’s left? No more animals I hope. Got some surprise over there in that small box?”
    She chuckled and removed several small snuffboxes from the chest. “These contain spices. I would appreciate if you would describe how they taste. For example, does the pepper taste like pepper as you know it? Perhaps it tastes weaker or even more intense than your previous experience on the ground.”
    He sat on the small bench at one end. “Come sit on