After much cajoling Baker has persuade me to write a biography of myself which I do with some trepidation. It is not easy for a lady to find independence in this day and age from her family and the way in which I left mine has meant I have had to guard myself closely from would be suitors, assassins and bounty hunters.
My name is Persephone Leeford the only daughter of Sir Algernon Leeford, an eminent archaeologist and tomb raider. When not off plundering catacombs in south America my family lived within the city whilst my dear papa lectured on the finer points of tribal culture at the university. My brothers were brought up to be educated young gentlemen and encouraged to follow in the footsteps of their father. A wasted expense in my mind as Algy, the eldest found comfort in opium to alleviate the pain from a duelling wound after trying to protect the reputation of some song bird from the theatre which turned him in to a dribbling idiot. Whereas Nathaniel was taken from us when he blundered in to a dispute between tribal leaders and after trying to make peace between them found himself as the celebratory meal when a truce was brokered. I on the other hand was not formally educated. Of course I had a governess echo tried her best but there is only so much sewing a girl can take and I found that by hiding behind the curtains in papa's library I could avoid all manner of beastly feminine chores. I read and devoured the books in her and when done I started on the maps and codes and came across an unusual manuscript which seemed to point to a lost treasure and an unusual artefact.
I had always secretly longed for adventure after seeing papa and the boys set off on their missions. Then the opportunity arose. Unbeknownst to papa Algy had fathered a child with the song bird and said child was left on our doorstep. Papa was away on one of his trips which left me holding the founding. I knew Algy was in no fit state to care for the child and yet I could not for the life of me bare to leave him with the sisters at the orphanage. I got as far as their door and something quite strange happened. The child babbled at me thinking I was his mama and with that I walked home, gathered up some books, manuscripts and a change of clothes I walked away with the boy and off to seek our fortunes.
Papa was furious when he returned to find that not only that his prized manuscript, a small amount of money and his only daughter had taken off but that his only potential heir to his vast fortune had gone with her. He vowed that he would find us and force our return either through marriage to one of the many suitors he has chosen or in bits via the assassins he had sent!
Baker found me and the boy much as he found the others. We were on the same air ship bound for Europe and after some disagreement about the levels of noise small child should make when excited and hungry found that we had a shared interest in finding fortunes. He told me about his the Marlin and his need of a navigator and cabin boy to go with his physician and muscle man. I decided a life in the clouds would be more beneficial for.myself and the boy as it would take us out of plain sight for a while so this is where we have ended for now.
P
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