A Trace of Copper by Anne Renwick

Author:Anne Renwick [Renwick, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: 19th century historical, biotechnology espionage, Britain, doctor, England, espionage, historical fantasy, indie publishing, kindle, Wales, Welsh, India, Bengali, Frog, bacteria, London, mystery, physician, romance, romance England, spies, steampunk, spy, surgeon, suspense, Victorian, Victorian London, science fiction, nobility, peer, ton, lord, lady, duke, earl, clockwork, gaslight, adventure
Publisher: Anne Renwick
Published: 2017-05-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

EVAN KICKED THE tavern door open and stepped into its smoky, alcohol-steeped interior. A number of men whooped to see him carrying Miss Sarah Parker, her arms wrapped tightly about his neck and her face pressed to his chest. Picking her up was a mistake he’d immediately regretted, but what was the alternative?

“What are you doing with my daughter?” Mr. Parker barked. “That’s it, I’m calling the—”

“I’m not marrying her.” A statement he made every time he walked through this door of late. He plopped Sarah’s sodden form down on the nearest chair and pried her arms from his neck. Her torn bodice gaped. “Dr. Mukherji and I found her—and others—at Seren’s Well. Miss Price and Miss Parker had an… altercation. Miss Parker has injured her ankle.”

This announcement drew forth another round of whoops, including table slapping along with a number of ribald comments and speculation as to who had won the catfight. Congratulations were called out to Sarah, who wore a satisfied smile at all the attention.

“What happened to Tegan?” he asked Piyali softly.

“She refused my hand,” she muttered. “And called you a number of creative names as she stumbled home.”

He cringed. “I’m sorry, but we shall have to pay her a visit later.” It was the last thing she wished do, but it was the right thing to do.

She jerked a nod. “Let me see to Sarah’s leg first.”

Dragging up her wet skirts, a whimper escaped Sarah’s mouth. “There’s a reason we call her two-faced Tegan.” A deep, bloody gash cut through her stocking and into the skin of her calf.

Piyali set down her bag and bent to examine the wound. “That’s going to require stitches.” Painful ones. “Where is your mother? You should change into clean, dry clothes before I employ my suture kit.”

“She’s not available,” Mr. Parker said, placing a hand on his daughter’s shoulder, pressing her into the chair. “Stay.” He nodded at Piyali. “Much obliged if you’d sew her back together.”

“Your wife, is she ill?” Evan asked, recalling the accusation Tegan had hurled at Sarah—and Piyali’s report that Mrs. Parker had also been bitten by the blue frog. Much as he disliked the woman, he couldn’t ignore the possibility that she too might have need of treatment. His initial “rash” had spread all too fast. “I’ve heard reports that she’s favoring a hand. Shall I take a look at her injury?”

“She’s fine.” Mr. Parker’s words were gruff, leaving no doubt in Evan’s mind that he would never, ever, under any circumstances be allowed to attend his wife. His daughter’s injury, however, couldn’t be dismissed.

After much drama involving screams and tears and shots of gin to calm a much-distressed patient, Mr. Parker carried his now-contrite, inebriated daughter to her room.

A heavy sigh met his ears as Piyali followed him out of the tavern. It was well past midnight. “Tegan?” she asked. Her hand sought his, and he grasped it tightly, squeezing. A small comfort. But it wasn’t enough.

“Her injuries were minor,” he answered. “Better to call upon her in the morning.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.