Joffie's Mark (Strange Gods, #1) by Mark Peckett

Author:Mark Peckett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Alternative worlds, Dimensional travel, Time travel, Victorian fantasy, Steampunk
Publisher: APS Publications
Published: 2022-04-25T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Walks Between Worlds

JOFFIE came out in the coal store at the back of Hawksmoor House. When the doors weren’t holy places, they were dirty places like sewers and attics. She stepped out with her hands black and her face smudged, her apron covered in coal dust and her bonnet all awry. She quickly brushed the worst of it off as best she could and then tried to hurry to her room where she could get washed and changed.

And she walked round the corner straight into Sidney.

“Where the ‘ell have you been?” he hissed. “They’re looking all over for you!”

“I took some charity to the workhouse for Miss Bird,” Joffie said sniffily.

“Looks like it. Where’s the workhouse – up a chimney?”

Joffie hung her head. “I had to use a secret door,” she muttered. “It came out in the coal shed.”

“What?” Sidney grabbed her. “You said we couldn’t use them anymore because Paladin would know where to find us.”

“I couldn’t help it – I was going to be caught ... ”

“Caught doing what? You weren’t even in the house.”

“I was in the Abbey. I wanted to see if there was a secret door there,” Joffie said miserably. “I wasn’t going to use it, but a silly man thought I was going to steal something. There was a lot of shouting, and then he grabbed me, and I had to get away.”

Sidney let go off her and his arms dropped to his sides. “I give up,” he said. “Every time we get somewhere safe, you go and do something stupid and mess it all up – going in and out of your stupid doors, trying to save your stupid god - now I suppose we’ll have to go on the run again. Well let me tell you something ...”

He thrust his finger under her nose, and she took a step back. She’d never seen him this angry.

“What’s going on here?” It was Miss Bird.

Sidney spun round. “Nothing, Miss Bird. I was just telling Joffie Lady Eugenie was looking for her.”

“Well, now you’ve told her...” Miss Bird said sternly, “... shouldn’t you be about your duties?”

“Yes, Miss Bird.” Sidney went back meekly into the house.

“And you – come with me.” She turned on her heel and Joffie trailed after her. When they got to her room, she ushered Joffie inside and slammed the door. “Now would you mind telling me what you have been doing?”

Joffie shrugged. “I fell over.”

“That’s not what I mean, as well you know. I hear Mr. Nettlebed was attacked by cats and our charity was scattered to the four winds.”

“But it wasn’t,” Joffie protested. “The inmates have got it. He was going to sell it and keep all the money to himself.”

“So you stopped him.” Miss Bird pressed her lips together. “You prayed to your little god and stopped him.”

“Well, you made that man fall down the stairs,” Joffie retorted.

“That was an accident.” Miss Bird snapped, “... or could have been. A man attacked by a pack of wild cats isn’t an accident – it’s impossible.

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