Colin draped his arm around my shoulders. “Verity was brave enough to ride on our test run on her first day in the city,” he said.

“She deserves a medal of valor for that,” one of the men said, raising his glass to me.

The door opened, and in came a short, stocky young man with an equally stocky girl who looked as though she did physical labor. “Sorry we’re late,” he said. “This is Gwendolyn. She works in the laundry at the West Battery fort.” The others greeted her, but as with me, they didn’t introduce themselves.

Colin pushed his chair back from the table and said, “So we’re ready, then.” The others also stood, and I joined them, unsure of what was happening.

Lizzie hooked her arm through mine and whispered, “Don’t worry, you’ll see soon enough,” as Colin led us through a narrow hallway beside the kitchen to the rear of the restaurant. We went down a flight of stairs into a basement, where a door opened into a dark passage. “Just follow me,” Lizzie instructed, and I allowed her to lead me into the darkness.

The passage made many twists and turns before we came at last to another door that opened into a well-lit basement. The others headed for the stairs, but I held Lizzie back. “You said this wasn’t a political meeting,” I said.

“It isn’t!”

“Then why all this secrecy?”

“It’s the best way to keep out uninvited guests.” She tugged on my arm, but I stood my ground.

“Lizzie, I expect my friends to be honest with me.”

She sighed, glanced toward the stairs, then turned back to me. “Very well, then. Yes, most of the people at the party are members of the Rebel Mechanics, but this isn’t an official meeting. We’re merely having the party at the Mechanics’ headquarters for convenience. But because the headquarters is secret, we can’t very well issue invitations with the address. So the nonmembers have to enter a different way.”

“It is merely a party, nothing more?”

“Some of the members will show off their inventions—they’re having a little competition—but that has nothing to do with politics, I swear. It’s just what happens when these people get together. Now, do you still want to come? I’ll understand if you don’t, and I’ll take you home, no hard feelings.”

Loud music and the sound of laughter wafted down the stairs from above, and I felt torn. Could being at this party be considered treason? Then again, if the location was so secret that not even all the party guests knew where it was, would the authorities know about it? I’d feel terrible making Lizzie leave to take me home, and it did sound like fun. Besides, if I left, I probably wouldn’t ever see Alec again.