I shall resume the narration.

As Andelbert and Maria’s romance blossomed, I found myself growing melancholy. I was happy for Andelbert, but their happiness only reminded me of my failure to make any headway with Elise Boissonnaeu. I knew I should put her out of my memory and look for someone else, but my heart was overruling my mind in this matter.

Fortunately, my self-pity was interrupted by a summons from the King.

“Baron Blastfurnace, I have arranged a visit by the Montgolfier brothers. Like yourself, they are inventors. They have conceived and crafted a marvelous flying contraption they call a balloon. It uses heated air to lift a basket containing brave souls high above the ground,” The King said.

A hot air balloon! I wanted to tell the King I had already learned to fly one. But to do so would invite questions. I certainly could not reveal that I had learned to operate a balloon looted by pirates. So I stifled my desire to share my flying experience and said, “That sounds wonderful. I am eager to see such an invention. I thank you sincerely, Your Majesty.”

“I have also arranged for you and Andelbert to have a ride in their balloon. How are your nerves?”

“I will do my best to control them. I must admit, a chance to rise high above the Earth has me both excited and terrified.”

“As it should. But you are an adventurer. And this will be the adventure of a lifetime.”

“Indeed. I am deeply grateful and indebted to you for this honor, Your Highness.”

“I am pleased that you are intrigued. I will introduce you to the brothers tomorrow. The demonstration will begin at sunrise the morning following next. You are free to go.”

“Thank you again, Your Majesty.”

I immediately went to Andelbert’s room and told him the news.

“Andelbert, the King has arranged a visit by the brothers Montgolfier. They are the inventors who invented the ballon we learned to fly on Mayaguana.”

“Truly? How wonderful.”

“Not only that, but we are going to get a ride in their balloon.”

“Marvelous.”

“But we must not let on that we have experience flying in a balloon. After all, our balloon was pirate booty. And that is a detail we must keep secret unless we desire a trip to the guillotine.”

“I have no such desire.”

“Nor I. But I am excited to fly again.”

“As am I.”

The following morning, Andelbert and I were summoned to the royal gardens to meet the Montgolfier brothers. A crew of servants was unloading their equipment as we arrived. The King, and a large gathering of nobility, were chatting with the brothers.

“Ah, the Blastfurnace brothers,” the King said when he saw us arrive. “Britpop and Andelbert, it is my pleasure to introduce the Montgolfier brothers. This is Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne.”

“We are delighted to meet you,” I said. “We have heard wonderful things about your flying machine.”

“And we have heard of your silent horseshoe. An ingenious idea. I look forward to seeing them.”

After more compliments and hand-shaking, the Montgolfier brothers showed us the balloon that was being unpacked.

“The concept is quite simple, really. Heated air is less dense than cool air, so it rises. We simply trap the air in a sack, or a sleeve, as we like to call it, and attach the sleeve to a basket to ride in,” Jacques explained.

“It is such an imaginative idea to use hot air to fly. How did you come to it?” I asked.

“That was Joseph. He had been experimenting with parachutes when he noticed some laundry being dried over a fire. The hot air from the fire created pockets in the sheets that billowed up. And so the idea was born.”

“Incredible,” Andelbert stated.”

“Quite so,” I added.

“I assure you, you have seen nothing quite so incredible as the view from high in the sky. You will forever envy the birds.”

“I am thrilled for the chance to ride in your balloon.”

“As am I,” Andelbert added.

“And we are delighted to have you as passengers. We will be demonstrating our latest balloon for the King. Now if you will excuse us, my brother and I have much work to do to prepare for tomorrow.”

“Of course. I hope we get a chance to talk further.”

“I would like that.”

I never envisioned such a marvel-filled adventure when I set out for France from Kapri. Perhaps the anxiety and heartache were a small price to pay. Regardless, my spirits had been lifted by the opportunity to float in the sky once again.