The Girl and the Clockwork Conspiracy: Clockwork Enterprises Book Two

by Nikki Mccormack

  The woman helped Maeko up and into a robe, then guided her down a dark hall with wood floors worn soft and rippled by years of human traffic to a candlelit room with a tub. Hot water startled her to attention, burning through much of the grogginess and making her more aware of the pain in her head. The woman began to clean her hair, mindful of the tender spots.

  While the woman murmured compliments about her pretty hair and fair skin, Maeko closed her eyes, submitting to the gentle ministrations.

  A short time later, the woman helped her out of the tub and dried her. Her clothes lay folded on a chair, no longer wet and, surprisingly, they didn’t stink of the river. Someone must have cleaned them. Weakness and lethargy still sapped at her and everything ached from her mid-back to the top of her head, but at least she could think now and her joints no longer hurt. With the woman’s help, she got dressed then the woman led her back to the hallway and pointed down it.

  “Yer friends are in the room at the end. There’s a warm fire and some stew waitin’ too.”

  Her mouth watered at the thought. “Thank you, Miss.”

  She walked down the hall, feeling a touch unsteady on her feet. A large room opened up at the end with a few worn couches and chairs set around a table before a blazing fire. The fire itself was the only light in the room, making shadows dance in the darker corners. The hearty smell of the stew wafted up from a pot sitting on the hearth and two emptied bowls sat piled on the table. Diggs reclined in a chair with his feet up on the table and Macak curled in his lap. Chaff, despite all the available seating, stood leaning on the mantle staring into the fire.

  “It’s the way she is,” Diggs said and Maeko took a quick step back, sinking into the shadows of the hallway to listen. “She’s always been this way. You’re only brassed off because she no longer looks to you for guidance before she jumps into things.”

  “I’m upset because she’s going to get herself killed,” Chaff snapped.

  Diggs let the show of temper wash over him. He was good at that. The former mudlark never got riled about anything that she had seen. “That could be true, but she’s like a cat, the tighter you hold her, the more she’ll pull away. You know that. You either have to accept her the way she is or let her go.”

  Chaff said nothing, but the hand by his side clenched into a fist. Maeko waited a minute longer to see if either would speak again, and to make it less obvious that she’d heard them. When no one said anything more, she walked into the room.

  “Where’s Em?”

  Chaff turned and walked over to her, the hand that had been a fist seconds ago came up to touch her face. He slid his fingers under her chin, a pleasant heat rising in their wake, and tilted her head back to search her eyes. “How are you feeling?”

  She returned his gaze and tried hard not to think of his lean body wrapped around her in the bed, warming her, his skin pressed against hers in places she’d never been touched by anyone other than her mother. The vivid memory forced its way in despite her efforts and she lowered her gaze, hoping the darkness of the room would hide her flush.

  “Better. A little weak. A little hungry too.”

  He smiled. “Hungry we can fix.”

  Chaff sat her down on one of the worn settees and insisted on serving her. While he did so, the subject of her query entered the room.

  “Good to see you up and around.”

  For a few seconds, Maeko wasn’t sure how to respond to that. It was an unusually cordial greeting for Em. “I…thanks. I was worried they’d killed you when you weren’t in the coach.”

  “They gave it a fair try.” Em replied. Chaff’s eyes flickered up to the detective and she added, “thanks to a timely intervention from your beau, they failed.”

  Maeko felt her cheeks warming again. All eyes were on her, waiting for her to deny the role they had assigned Chaff in her life. She wasn’t entirely sure that was what she wanted from their relationship, but what would be the point in having a row about it? It wasn’t their business besides. She and Chaff could work that out later.

  “I think I know who shot the commissioner.” She caught Chaff’s victorious grin as he wandered back over to stare into the fire. Perhaps she should have argued. Too late now.

  “Thinking it and knowing it are two different things, but it’s more than we had before all this bollucks,” Em grumbled, her gaze also following Chaff to the fire. Her eyes flickered back to Maeko after a few seconds. “Who’s the suspect?”

  “Creepy bloke by the name of Bennett,” she couldn’t stop a shudder when she spoke the name. “He’s working with Joel and Thaddeus.” There was a slight hardening in Em’s eyes. She still wasn’t fully convinced of Lucian’s death. It wasn’t worth fighting over now, but Maeko couldn’t afford to doubt. “I never got a great look at him, he was holding my wrists and stayed behind me, but if you find Joel, I’m willing to bet you’ll find him too.”

  Em nodded. “Well enough. I’m going to get this arm properly seen to then head out of the city for a bit to work up some of my contacts and see if I can get some more help coming our way. This whole thing is getting out of hand.” She turned, took a few steps, then turned back. Her gaze riveted on Maeko. “Good work, partner, and tell your beau thanks for me.” She spun and strode swiftly from the room.

  “You’re welcome,” Chaff murmured to the fire.

  Maeko turned her attention to eating. She was going to need her strength for the coming conversation.

  “When you’re strong enough, we’ll head out to Whitechapel,” Chaff stated.

  Diggs cleared his throat, moved Macak to the floor and stood. “If you two are set, I’ll be heading back out to check on the boys.”

  Chaff nodded. “Thanks, Mate.”

  “Of course.” Diggs walked around the back of the settee and put a hand on Maeko’s shoulder. “Go easy on him. He’s fragile.”

  Chaff gave him a wry smirk.

  She grinned. “I’ll try. Thanks, Diggs.”

  He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and left the room. Perhaps he sensed what was about to come.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Macak moved to her lap while she finished eating. It was hard to swallow the remains of the meal with Chaff looking on so expectantly. After forcing the last bites down, she set her bowl on the table and looked up at him. There was a certain anticipation behind his easy stance that made her uncomfortable.

  Before she could decide her next course of action, she needed a little more information. Maybe it wouldn’t be necessary to start a row with him. “What time is it?”

  “About half-five.”

  “In the evening?”

  He nodded.

  She’d slept through the day then, but not quite long enough to force the decision. “Before we go to Whitechapel—”

  “No.” His eyes flashed and his jaw tightened, the relaxed posture vanishing. He had expected this and was ready for battle. The set of his jaw told her he didn’t intend to let her win this time.

  “Please hear me out.”

  “No.”

  There was more than one way to handle this. If the battle could not be won, then she would simply avoid it. She set Macak to one side and jumped to her feet. Having to place a hand on the arm of the settee for balance when the room rocked around her wasn’t part of the plan, but it steadied quickly enough. “I’m going.”

  He took a step toward her. “Where?”

  “To Chelsea. I want to be sure that no one followed Ash back to my mum’s house last night.”

  He threw his hands up in frustration. “Why can’t you let other folk take care of themselves once in a while? You’ve nearly been killed twice in just a few days. Isn’t that enough for you?”

  And you’ve saved me both times, you and Diggs. She was asking a lot. Too much perhaps. She held his gaze. “It’s my mum, Chaff.”

  The anger in his eyes broke, exposing a deeper pain that she almost couldn’t bear to look at.

  He walked up to her and brushed her ha
ir back with his fingers. “I can’t keep doing this, Mae. Maybe you don’t realize how it kills me inside to think of something happening to you, and yet I have to face it over and over again because you insist on putting yourself in danger. Your mum’s a capable woman. Let it go this time.”

  He drew her into his arms and she leaned into him, pressing her cheek against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. She was so tired and here was someone warm and strong and wanting to care for her. It would be so easy just to stay and let him hold her like this. Why not let the others take care of themselves this time and go with him?

  Her stomach felt hollow despite the food. She couldn’t let it go. Not knowing how the worry would nag at her until it drove them both mad.

  She slid her arms around his waist. “Come with me,” she murmured. His muscles tightened against her. If he wanted to, he was strong enough to make her stay, especially in her current condition, but he wouldn’t do that to her. “As soon as I see they’re all right, we’ll go to Whitechapel. I promise.”

  She could feel his muscles gradually relax again. He kissed her head. “I must be moonstruck,” he muttered.

  She smiled, tightening her arms around him. “Thank you.”

  They let it get a little darker out before going to catch a hansom to Chelsea. It wasn’t raining anymore, but a thick sticky fog had rolled out from the river, swallowing the city in a smelly murk. In the fading light, the fog looked like a grey-brown curtain hanging always a few feet in front of the cab. The front of the horse vanished in it, leaving a disembodied rump shifting ahead of them. It gave a surreal feel to the evening, as if they were the only two people in the world floating lost in a sea of mist. Maeko leaned on Chaff in the seat with Macak stretched across their legs. He put his arm around her, letting her rest against him. She closed her eyes, focusing on the contact and trying not to think of anything outside of that moment.

  A few blocks away from the brothel, she leaned away a little to look at him. Worry filled his blue eyes, but he smiled, trying to appear optimistic for her sake. How had she not noticed the affection in his gaze before now?

  “When did you realize you liked me more than… I mean…” She trailed off. How much did he like her exactly?

  His shoulders shifted in a small shrug. “I guess I’ve known for a long time.”

  “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

  “I was afraid.”

  She grinned and gave him a playful poke in the ribs. “You? Afraid of something?”

  He took her hand and pinned it against his chest. Under her palm, she could feel the reassuring beat of his heart.

  “Yes. I was terrified that telling you how I felt would drive you away if you didn’t feel the same. I couldn’t imagine anything worse than losing your friendship.”

  Her chest tightened. Did she mean that much to him? Was this really the same boy who always warned her not to become too attached to companions on the street? “What changed? What made you decide to risk it?”

  “You showed up with Ash.” His smile turned a little sad then. “I could see that he liked you, though he was far from the first to take interest. I didn’t worry about it too much until I saw that you fancied him too. Then I realized the only thing that scared me worse than losing your friendship was losing you completely without you ever knowing how I felt.”

  Without allowing herself the time to question the impulse, she leaned in and kissed him, a soft, gentle kiss that stole the sadness from his smile. Then she curled up against him again, savoring the feel of his arm around her, and tried very hard not to think about Ash.

  *

  Things looked quiet when they pulled up a few houses down from her mother’s place. Maeko started to get out of the hansom and Chaff touched her arm. She looked back at him.

  “Should I wait here?”

  Ash would probably prefer not to see him and the idea of being with both of them after everything that had happened between her and Chaff didn’t make her feel especially at ease. It would cost them a little more to hold the hansom, but she still had enough of what she’d taken from Lucian’s stash to cover it.

  “Maybe that would be easier. I’ll hurry.”

  He nodded and settled back in the seat, cradling Macak in his arms so the cat wouldn’t try to follow.

  She hurried to the house and knocked. Lottie opened the door, a flicker of relief in her eyes as she stepped aside to let Maeko in. Tomoe sat in a chair by one shuttered window working on mending a blanket. How she could appear so calm when so much was going on was beyond Maeko. Ash sat at the table watching Drake tinker inside a panel on his metal arm. He looked up and smiled when she entered.

  Drake’s dark eyes also shifted up to her, his expression neutral. “Good work last night. You did a great service for the Pirates.”

  She nodded to him. “Everything worked out as planned.” They didn’t need to know about the rest of the bollocks. If it went fine from their side, that was all she needed to know and definitely all they needed to know.

  Ash stood. “I’m glad you made it. The airship will be here any minute. You can get out of here with us.”

  As if on cue, she heard the hiss of the airship drawing in air to descend. It was lowering down behind the house over the tiny yard. Drake’s gaze on her grew more intense. She held his eyes, finding it easier than looking at Ash.

  “I’m not going with you,” she stated.

  “What?”

  She made herself look at Ash then. He looked confused and hurt. Guilt twisted in her chest. I promised Chaff. “I’m not going with you. I just wanted to make sure you made it back safe.”

  He shook his head. A lock of dark hair fell into his face and he swiped it back irritably. “I don’t understand.”

  “Asher, will you go help them position the ship and take the sketches up when they’re stable?” Ash held her gaze, ignoring Drake. “Now.”

  He scowled at Drake and grabbed the thick folder the man held out to him. When he had stormed out through the back door, Drake gave her a shrewd look.

  “I thought we were working together now.”

  “I’m not a Pirate, Mr. Drake. I’m done trying to get myself killed over this.”

  “Just Drake.” He closed the panel on his arm and latched it. Then he opened and closed the metal fist a couple of times before taking a few seconds to move each finger in turn. “The rest of last night didn’t go so well.”

  She was aware that Tomoe had set down her work and was watching them. Lottie stood at the window, watching the street, one ear turned to them.

  “Not so well, no.”

  “Where will you go?” He polished the metal panel with a soft cloth then tucked the cloth in his pocket.

  “No offense intended, but I don’t think you need to know that.”

  “None taken. I’d like it if you joined us. You have useful skills and I can offer you safe haven, but I can’t force you, not in good conscience at least.” He stood up from the table.

  The back door swung open hard enough to slam into the wall then and they all started. Chaff stormed in, a struggling Macak pinned under one arm.

  “Chaff?”

  He met her eyes, a fearful warning in his gaze. “There are Lits moving in on the house. A lot of them.”

  Maeko went cold. She darted to the window next to Lottie and peered out through the slats. The fog was still thick. Drake stepped up next to her. Figures gradually appeared, only dark shapes at first, forming slowly into Literati officers with their weapons drawn and ready to fire. One carried a big gun like nothing Maeko had ever seen, the massive barrel aimed low at the front door of the house. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the man behind that gun, his scarred countenance triggering a chill of fear. Hatchet-Face? Could they be crazy enough to give that murderer a weapon?

  Drake sucked in a breath. “This is a raid. They’ll shoot first and hope someone survives to answer questions later. Where’s Ash?”

  “I already warned him,” Ch
aff answered. “He’s up in the ship getting them ready to move out.”

  Drake gave him a suspicious once-over, but he nodded. “Let’s go.”

  A shot fired. Lottie jerked next to Maeko then dropped like a ragdoll. Tomoe ran to her. There was a bloody hole in the side of her neck. She stared blankly up at them. Maeko stared back. A few inches over and she would be the one lying there.

  “They’re preparing to fire the big gun,” Drake warned. Without waiting for a response, he turned and sprinted toward the back door.

  Chaff pushed Macak into her arms, grabbed her shoulders and shoved her after Drake. “Run. I’ll get your mum.”

  Maeko did as she was told, sprinting for the back door behind Drake. He raced through as the front of the house exploded with a deafening boom in a spray of splinters and smoke. The force of the explosion threw her through the open door. She landed in the dirt a few inches past the edge of the small porch. The world had gone silent. Drake grabbed her arm, helping her up. His lips were moving, but she couldn’t hear him. When she was on her feet again, he grabbed the rope ladder and began climbing, motioning for her to come up after him.

  Maeko turned around. Sound returned, the roar of flame reaching her ears seconds before she saw fire engulfing what remained of her mum’s house. Her gut clenched. Two figures emerged from the smoke. Chaff supported her mother. Both wore a coating of soot and debris. Maeko ran forward to help escort Tomoe to the rope ladder. Once her mother was climbing, she turned to Chaff. Blood streamed from a gash above one eye.

  “I’m done with this rubbish.” He pointed at the ship. “Up there is our best way out of here, but once we hit land again, I’m having no more to do with any of this, regardless of what you do. Understood?”

  Her throat felt too tight to speak so she settled for a nod. Finally, she had pushed him too far.

  “Good. Get up there.”

  She turned and began to climb as fast as she could with Macak still under one arm. The ladder swayed with her awkward movement and that of her mother nearing the top above her. She was halfway up when the ship began to rise. She stopped climbing and looked down. Chaff leapt up, catching hold of the second rung from the bottom and swung his other hand up to grab for the next rung, making the ladder swing sickeningly. She wrapped one arm into the rungs, the other holding Macak tight, and hung on. Lits were coming out through the ruin of the house. One raised his gun and fired. A fine spray of blood flew from Chaffs hand where he gripped the ladder and she watched him fall, her heart dropping with him.