Bitches and Brawlers: A Steampunk Fairy Tale (Steampunk Red Riding Hood Book 4) by Melanie Karsak

Author:Melanie Karsak [Karsak, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Clockpunk Press
Published: 2018-07-09T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13: Mister Phillip Phillips

We left Quinn and Jessica a few hours later and made our way back to the city in order to visit the British Museum.

Once we had turned the corner out of sight of Quinn and Jessica’s house, Edwin exhaled a deep sigh of relief.

I chuckled. “As bad as that?”

He gave me a soft smile. “No, not at all. Mrs. Briarwood is lovely. It’s just… Agent Briarwood is intimidating.”

I laughed. “Intimidating? Haven’t you faced some of the worst demons ever to pop up in our realm?”

“Yes, but none of them lorded in a fatherly manner over you. Do you… Do you think I did all right?”

“Edwin.”

“I’m quite sincere, Clemeny. I really do want the people you care about to approve of our…match.”

Our match. “Yes, you did all right.”

Edwin smiled lightly. “Good. I’ve won over Agent Briarwood and your grand-mère. With those marks behind me, I think I’m all well and good to face your Mr. Phillips, whomever he is.”

“That’s the question, isn’t it?”

Edwin nodded. “I haven’t been to the museum since I was a boy. My mother used to take me on a tour from time to time. I must have been ten or so the last time I was there.”

I had never actually been to the museum before but felt too embarrassed to say so. After all, the entry fee was not cheap, and Grand-mère only spent her money on necessities. But more, my thoughts went to Edwin and the small catch I’d heard in his voice when he spoke of his mother. “I’m sorry to hear about your mother.”

Edwin nodded. “Thank you. It was a great loss. My father and I… Well, we never got along.”

“And he’s gone to Antigua?”

“We have an estate there. Victoria has given him some work to do on behalf of the crown. My father,” Edwin said then paused, “made some embarrassing choices regarding a ward of his some years back. He left the country amongst scandal thereafter.”

I raised an eyebrow at Edwin. “And the ward?”

“When she didn’t get what she wanted, she left my father heartbroken and sauntered off to Italy in search of her next mark.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“We were lucky, in a way. My father figured out the game just in time. He left the family estate, Willowbrook Park, to me and took his eroded reputation into retirement with him.”

“That must have been very difficult for you.”

“It’s no matter now. What about you, Clemeny? It’s only you and your grand-mère?”

“The widow Louvel raised me. In truth, I have no idea who my real parents are. I was left as an orphan at Saint Clement Danes,” I said, my stomach twisting with embarrassment.

“Any ideas about your birth family?”

I shook my head but then remembered Lionheart’s words. I needed to go to the summer country. I debated for a moment on whether or not to tell Edwin. But tell him what? The preternaturals thought I smelled like roses. What did that even mean?

“It makes no difference. We shall carve our own paths forward,” Edwin said.

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