The Watchmaker's Daughter (Glass and Steele #1)(69)

"But Matt said it's warmer when she's near, like it's responding to her."

She believed his watch reacted to my presence too? And I'd thought Miss Glass was the mad one.

"Don't," Duke warned. "Enough now. He was mistaken."

"He's never mistaken." Willie's face crumpled. "About anything. Ever." She turned and ran up the stairs, taking two at a time.

I stared after her. I didn't know for how long. Time slowed. The air thickened. My breaths sounded labored and my blood felt sluggish.

Magic.

The word rattled around in my head. I grappled for some clear thoughts, but they were like ribbons tossed by the breeze. I would grasp the end of one, only to have it ripped from my fingers before I could gather it all.

The hand on my arm brought me out of my trance. "Miss Steele?" Duke said gently. "Are you all right?"

I nodded numbly. "Duke…what did Willie mean when she asked about Mr. Glass's watch responding to me?"

"So you've felt it?" His fingers tightened. "It does speak to you?"

"No. So…what is it? How does it work? Why does it glow like that and make his veins glow too?"

If he said magic, then I'd…what? Pack my things and leave?

"So you've seen it," he said. "You've seen it work on him."

I nodded. "But how does that watch help Mr. Glass feel better? I don't understand."

"It doesn't," he said heavily. "That's the problem. It used to, and now it's broken."

"Broken?"

"It used to make him feel better for longer. He could go days without needing to use it again. Now it's only a few hours."

"I see."

"Do you?"

I shook my head.

He sighed. "Thought not." He glanced up the staircase. "Best forget this conversation ever happened, Miss Steele. Best not mention it to Matt. He won't like that we told you about magic."

"Why not?" Because he didn't want me to know he was as mad as them? As mad as his aunt?

"Because it's a secret."

"From me?"

"From everyone."



It was clear from the expressions at the breakfast table that they held little hope of finding the watchmaker on the final day of the search. Even Miss Glass seemed forlorn, and she wasn't aware of what was at stake. Perhaps she was simply anxious because she knew her nephew was leaving the following day; although she continued to deny it. When she caught Duke and Cyclops discussing departure plans, she scolded them for wasting time on "nonsense."

As we were about to leave, Willie signaled me to speak with her in private. If she started spouting about magic again, I would walk away. I refused to be taken for a fool. After spending many hours lying in bed thinking about what she and Duke had said, I'd managed to see through the veils they'd been trying to cast over my eyes. What I saw was just as worrying, however, as Mr. Glass being the Dark Rider.

He must be an opium addict. Or if not opium, some other potent substance that made his veins glow. The watch was a clever device that hid the substance in liquid form. It likely also hid a tiny syringe that he used to inject the liquid into himself as he held the watch in his palm. Whether it was also a functioning timepiece remained to be seen.

Clearly the device had stopped working properly and so he needed the original maker to fix it. I'd never seen such a watch before, so it most likely required special care. I hadn't yet worked out why he couldn't inject the substance into himself without using the watch, but there must be a reason.

I did not plan to tell any of them that I knew their secret.

I did plan on telling the police that I'd found the Dark Rider. Just as soon as I could get away.

"You must do your absolute best to find the watchmaker today," Willie told me. She took my hands and wrung them so hard I had to ask her to let go. "You know how important this is. You know."

I didn't tell her that it was almost hopeless. Or that the police would be stopping them from leaving tomorrow.

Perhaps.

Oh, I didn't know what to do! Perhaps I ought to remain silent. No one had harmed me. Indeed, Mr. Glass had saved me from Abercrombie and the thugs and seen that I was well cared for. To betray his trust would be cruel. Besides, if they left tomorrow, they would no longer be England's problem. As far as I could see, they'd done nothing illegal here anyway.

He tried to engage me in conversation in the carriage, but I wasn't keen to talk. I was in turmoil. Not only about telling the police but also about his addiction. Should I try to help him? Could it explain his outlaw ways? If he was desperate for opium and couldn't afford it, then he would need to steal to pay for it. Perhaps if his addiction went away, there would be no need for criminal activity.

"You're very quiet today," he said.

"Am I?"

He smiled crookedly. "Thinking about how much you'll miss me when I'm gone?"

I rolled my eyes. "Thinking about where I'll live and what I'll do." Which only reminded me that I hadn't asked him for a reference yet.

I was about to when he said, "Perhaps we'll need to postpone our journey. Even if we do find the watchmaker, there's no need to hurry back. I like it here. London intrigues me. And, to be honest, there's not much to keep me in America."