A Study in Silks by Emma Jane Holloway
Author:Emma Jane Holloway [Holloway, Emma Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: urn|ean|9780345537188
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2013-09-23T16:00:00+00:00
When Evelina reached the street, the victoria was in front and waiting. With—of all people—Bucky Penner looking like a canary-eating cat. He departed quickly enough that she got the impression he was doing his best to appear a chance passerby. But despite everything, she couldn’t help a prickle of curiosity. Was she missing something? It was hard to tell. She had the feeling that like so many who appeared easygoing, Bucky was expert at hiding what he was really thinking.
When she reached safety of the carriage, Evelina’s strength ebbed. She grabbed the edge of the victoria, refusing to let her knees buckle. Suitably dismayed, Imogen and Applegate bundled her into the vehicle.
“Good gracious, what happened?” Imogen scolded, looking pale as paper. “You were gone so long, I was about to summon the cavalry!”
Since Captain Diogenes Smythe was one of Imogen’s admirers, that wasn’t an entirely empty threat. “I took care of our smoky friend.”
“Pardon me, Miss Cooper,” the old driver broke in, “but may I ask what happened?”
It was a polite way of warning her that Lord Bancroft would get a full report on the day’s events. He clicked to the horses and eased them into the busy traffic.
“There were ruffians.” That sounded lame, but it was the best Evelina could think of on short notice.
“They were bothering me,” Imogen put in. “Extremely rude.”
“Ruffians with a giant, um, dog,” Evelina elaborated. “I stayed behind to point out the villains to some baker’s boys who took care of the matter. It got a little rough.”
“You always were adventurous for a young lady,” the driver replied easily. “It would have been better if you had come and fetched me to sort them out. But as long as you’re not hurt, there’s no harm done I suppose. Though I can’t imagine what ruffians with a giant dog were doing in a draper’s shop that caters to fine ladies like yourselves.”
There was no good answer. The two young women exchanged a conspiratorial look. Evelina smothered a nervous laugh. “They weren’t in the draper’s. They were behind the tea shop.”
Imogen held up a paper bag. “Tea bun?”
“You bought buns? I was fighting for my life and you bought buns?”
Imogen shrugged. “I thought I might as well, since I was in the shop anyway. The currant and lemon ones are excellent.”
Evelina pulled one out and bit into the soft, sweet bread. Ladies didn’t eat in the street, but Imogen grabbed one, too, dropping sugary crumbs all over her dress. Something about danger and derring-do negated even the best table manners.
“So what did we learn?” Imogen asked.
Evelina glanced toward the driver. “That’s where the, um, cloth sample came from. It must have something to do with the warehouse out back.”
Imogen leaned close, lowering her voice to the point where Evelina was mostly reading her lips. “Do you mean the foreign connection? Are they importing something they shouldn’t? I thought opium and the slavers and all that was down in the East End.”
“So did I.” Not that crime stopped at even the steam barons’ borders.
Download
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.
Shot Through the Hearth by Kate Carlisle(18489)
The Secret History by Donna Tartt(18161)
Who'd Have Thought by G Benson(16148)
The Betrayed by David Hosp(12202)
Red by Erica Spindler(12022)
Kathy Andrews Collection by Kathy Andrews(11323)
Scorched Eggs by Childs Laura(11119)
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher(8451)
(2T) A Bone to Pick by Harris Charlaine(7646)
Two Kinds of Truth by Michael Connelly(7280)
Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult(6681)
The Space Between by Michelle L. Teichman(6575)
The Thirst by Nesbo Jo(6437)
Pandemic (The Extinction Files Book 1) by A.G. Riddle(6186)
The Vegetarian by Han Kang(6066)
Assassin’s Fate by Robin Hobb(5855)
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion(5837)
Heavenfield: A DCI Ryan Mystery (The DCI Ryan Mysteries Book 3) by LJ Ross(5835)
Vow of Obedience by Veronica Black(5503)
