Howls and Hallows: A Steampunk Fairy Tale (Steampunk Red Riding Hood Book 5) by Melanie Karsak

Author:Melanie Karsak [Karsak, Melanie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Clockpunk Press
Published: 2018-09-24T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17: Of Lions and Gargoyles

I walked the length of the village, passing the church Lord Samson had mentioned—and its mildly pagan stones—, the Cabell House school, and other small cottages and businesses. Aside from the apothecary, nothing else stuck out. Perplexed by Shannon’s words, I headed to The Three Lions where I found Lord Cabell surrounded by a group of local villagers, laughing loudly and looking far more at ease than I had seen him since I’d arrived.

“Agent Louvel,” he called when I entered.

The others gave me a less friendly welcome, eyeing me and my red cape suspiciously.

Lord Cabell waved me over. “Gents, this is the lady I was telling you about.”

Oh lord.

I smiled at the little assembly. “Gentlemen.”

They eyed me over, unsure of how to respond. A couple of men tipped their hats. The others simply stared, looking me over from head to toe.

“Let’s get a drink for the agent,” Lord Cabell said then motioned to the bartender to pour me a bitter. Lord Cabell retrieved the cup, handed it to me, then clicked his glass against mine.

“To better days,” he said.

“To better days,” I agreed.

Lord Cabell drank deeply.

Mindful of my words to Harper, I took a small sip.

“And what is it, again, the agent does?” one of the local men asked.

“Law enforcement,” I said with a wry grin.

“So you’re a lady constable?” one of the gentlemen asked. He swayed as he spoke, the front of his shirt wet with either ale or perspiration, I wasn’t sure which. He eyed my pistols.

“Something like that.”

“Very modern,” one of the men said, the others nodding vigorously in agreement.

I tried not to roll my eyes.

“Let’s have a seat, Agent,” Lord Cabell said, motioning to a table in the back. “I’m hungry. You?”

“Very.”

Lord Cabell clapped the men around us on the backs, shook hands with the lot, then waved for me to follow him to a table at the corner. He motioned to the bartender then settled back into his seat with his drink.

“Find what you were after?” Lord Cabell asked.

“In a way. And you?”

“Oh, you’ll see,” he said with a grin. “I can’t wait to hear what you think. Now, you need to tell me something about yourself. How long have you worked with Sir Edwin?”

“A bit over a year.”

“He spoke very highly of you,” Lord Cabell said, a glimmer in his eye. “Very highly.”

“Did he, now?”

“He let me know you’d be staying on for the ball, assuming all goes well, as his guest.”

I lifted my drink and sipped, quieting the butterflies that had suddenly swarmed my stomach. “Yes. Well, Edwin and I are attached.”

“So he mentioned, but I didn’t want to bring it up in front of Charlotte. Poor dear, she had her heart set on Edwin for some time. I warned her it would all come to nothing.”

“And now?”

“Ah, that’s all past. There’s a Scottish lord with a slightly less foggy estate at whom she’s now set her cap.”

I chuckled. “And you, Lord Cabell, has some young lady set her cap at you and your foggy estate?”

“Several, but none quite as endearing as Agent Harper.

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