The Watchmaker's Daughter (Glass and Steele #1)(80)

"Because he doesn't want to swing for his crimes. Having me blamed for them was the perfect scenario for him. Up until now, his face hasn't been seen. I suspect he's been behind some attacks on me in recent years, but I had no proof. His methods have been sly, cowardly, never openly revealing himself to be behind them."

"How awful. He truly did consider you responsible for his younger brother's death."

"In a way, I am. I'm responsible for a lot of deaths."

"Including your grandfather's," I said quietly.

His eyes fluttered closed. Tiny dark blue veins webbed the lids. He nodded. "I shot him in self defense after he shot at me. Perhaps one day I'll show you the scar his bullet made."

He'd been shot by his own grandfather! I searched his face. It was unmarked.

His eyebrows twitched mischievously. "It's in an unmentionable location."

My face flamed. He laughed, and I gave him a withering glare.

He took my hands again. His thumb stroked mine and his features settled, once again serious. "I know you have questions about the watch." He patted his pocket. "And I can see now that you must be told. Can we speak tomorrow? It requires lengthy discussion, and I don't want Aunt Letitia to know."

I also suspected he was too tired for such a discussion. I nodded.

"Good." He smiled again. "I'm glad you've decided to stay on as her companion."

"But—"

"I think I hear her now. Let's tell her, shall we?" He thrust out his elbow to me.

I hesitated then took it with a shake of my head. "You ought to be a politician. You have a knack for swaying people to your viewpoint."

"You're too kind, particularly considering you rarely believe me when I am being sincere."

I was about to protest again, but he gave me that crooked boyish smile and my insides melted a little. Besides, Miss Glass approached.

Matt informed her he had employed me to be her companion. She was delighted, in a reserved, upper class way. She patted my cheek, then insisted her nephew escort her into the dining room instead since she was the most important female member of the household and he the most important male. He simply thrust out his other elbow, which she accepted with a smile in her eyes.

"Tomorrow, Miss Steele, I will take you shopping," she declared. "If you're to be my companion, you require new dresses. Those are far too dreary."





Chapter 17





My watch looked entirely normal. I spent the morning pulling it apart and inspecting each tiny mechanism. Nothing was out of place. There were no hidden striking trains, hammers, gongs or repeaters. It couldn't possibly have chimed.

I put it back together, a familiar task I could do without even looking. It hadn't been the first watch I'd ever worked on, but it was the one I'd opened up the most. My parents gave it to me on my sixteenth birthday. The silver case was monogrammed with my initials, and a message congratulating me on my birthday was etched inside. It was my most cherished possession.

Somehow, it had saved my life.

A knock sounded on my door, and Willie called out, "It's me. May I speak with you, India?"

"Of course. Come in."

She opened the door just enough to squeeze through and leaned back against it. She bit her lip and looked everywhere but at me.

"Is there something I can do for you, Willie?"

She huffed out a breath. "I wouldn't really have cut you up, you know."

I pinched the back of my hand to stop myself smiling. "I know. Thank you for reassuring me."

"Matt says you're going to stay."

"I'm to be his aunt's companion." I hadn't had time to discuss the new arrangement with either of them, but I felt immeasurably lighter since the decision had been made. The weight of uncertainty over my future had been pressing down on me without me realizing.

She rushed forward and grasped my forearms. "You won't give up on finding the watchmaker, will you?"

"Matt no longer needs my help. We've called on every watchmaker I know. Cyclops is capable of taking him to—"

"No, you must help. You know London better than any of us, and you know watches too." She dug her fingers into my arms. "You've seen what his watch does, India. It's of vital importance that it gets fixed."

"It seems to work perfectly well. It…rejuvenates him when he uses it."

"It's slowing down." She let me go and perched on the edge of the dressing table where I'd been working. She lowered her head and some loose strands of hair fell over her face. "It no longer works for days, as it used to. It will stop altogether, one day."

"And there is no one else who can fix it?"

"None that we know of."

What sort of watchmaker fixed a life giving, magical watch? A magician, I supposed. The notion was utterly absurd, yet I couldn't shake it.

"I will help Matt whenever he requires it," I assured her. "Now, tell me, will you come shopping with Miss Glass and me later? We would enjoy your company."

"Why?" She plucked the fabric of her trousers at her thighs. "I'm a terrible judge of fashion."

"Or are you secretly hiding your femininity as a mode of protection?"