The Industrial Spy (Curiosity Chronicles, #3) by Ava Morgan

Author:Ava Morgan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, steampunk, pirates, historical fantasy, alternative history, automaton, strong heroine, steampunk romance, steampunk adventure, victorian fantasy, france 19th century, spies and espionage
Publisher: Ava Morgan

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Colton saw that Dominique had liniment for her arm before he went into the foundry. Sure enough, he found Monsieur Louis at the coal grinding machine with a knife, cursing to himself as he tugged and cut away at scraps of fabric caught in the wheel and conveyor belt.

The overseer raised his small eyes and narrowed them into slits when he saw Colton. “You’re late, Roland. The other men got here fifteen minutes ago.”

“I had to see to my wife’s care. She and another woman got their clothing caught in that machine.”

“And I’m still trying to get it back operational. I told that old Madame Gilles where to stand when she’s cleaning the conveyor belt. It’s her fault.”

“The machine shouldn’t have been operating on its own. Someone should have rotated the belt manually so she could clean it.”

Monsieur Louis set his knife on the floor. “I have a business to run here. I can’t stop production because two addle-pated women don’t know how to secure their dresses.”

The heat of anger rushed through Colton’s body. “Those women help keep your business running. If it weren’t for them, we’d be buried in coal dust.”

“Do you want to work in my foundry, Roland? If not, there is the door.” The overseer picked up the knife and pointed the blade tip at the entrance. “Otherwise, keep your mouth shut if you want to keep your job.”

Colton walked away from the overseer. The other foundry workers took view of the exchange. They pretended to resume their activity as Colton passed each of them to go to his work station.

He picked up a sledgehammer and started smashing pig iron to use for charging the furnaces. In all his time spent working in industry, he never understood how some overseers had little regard for the people who kept their facilities running. It made him sick to think that if Dominique had not been carrying her knife, she would not have been able to save herself or the other woman.

Their close call was a story all too familiar to him.

He set another piece of pig iron on the ground. His hammer came down too hard, sending pieces of the metal scattering. The men at nearby stations dodged the flying debris. Colton held up his hand in apology and took to breaking the pig iron with less forceful blows. He worked until his ire gradually wore off and transformed into a determination to proceed with his objective.

He thanked fate for sparing Dominique’s life. Now he hoped that he could curb his temper at Monsieur Louis long enough to not cost them the mission.

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