Aether Spirit by Cecilia Dominic Read Free Book Online Page B

they said, but I think she got the illness. That was before they proved it was catching. That Doctor Radcliffe is smart, wanting to isolate the boy who was dumped here. He came with a cloud around him, and it don’t bode good for anyone.”
    “What do you mean?” Claire asked. It was odd to hear such things stated directly.
    Mrs. Soper shook her head. “Ain’t none of my business. I’m just a cook and housekeeper. Now here’s the key, and that other one is to let you into the house. Come get lunch, and then we’ll see about getting you moved in.”
    Claire took the keys, which had been threaded on a ribbon. She put them around her neck and tucked them into her bodice, and Mrs. Soper nodded.
    “Good, keep ’em safe. And if you need anything, just ask. You’ve got your own bathing room, and the general had running water installed, but remember, we’re on rations. Sometimes the pipes make strange noises. If that happens, just ignore ’em or say, ‘Go away, Emma.’”
    “Emma?”
    “The general’s daughter.” Mrs. Soper waved the name away. “But there’s nothing to worry about. All the haints here are nice. Now you get freshened up, and I’ll have a plate fixed for you when you come down.”
    “Thank you.”
    I think.
    Once Mrs. Soper had left, Claire no longer felt the room to be as bright and welcoming as previously. She walked to the window and looked outside, where she saw three headstones.
    Well, Emma, I hope we don’t get too well acquainted.
    After washing her hands and face and walking into the hall, she went to pull the door, but it slammed behind her. She locked it with trembling hands.
    This might not be an improvement to my situation.
    * * * * *
    Patrick adjusted the lens in the tube leading away from the aether chamber but couldn’t get it quite right. Every time he thought he had it, it moved. He cursed under his breath at his thick fingers. The professor had had slender hands—like a girl’s, although Patrick had never had the heart to tease him about it. He missed the quirky lad and hoped he was happy digging for clues to the ancient origin of the Eros Element with his beautiful, smart wife in the sands of the Ottoman Empire.
    I’m not jealous, not one bit. Mrs. Bailey, formerly Miss McTavish, wasn’t his cup of tea, but he’d started despairing of finding someone who was. At least he wasn’t in poor Chad’s situation, with the love o’ his life right there but unable to see him for what he was or her head would explode or some such.
    No, there’d be no lass for him. He’d decided they were too much trouble, and while he liked a bit of trouble, he didn’t need any long-term. He’d just stick his nose in others’ problems when he could help, and otherwise would enjoy his bachelorhood.
    And for now, his focus would be figuring out how to solve the problems between Chadwick and Claire. If nothing else, he needed a non-sulky roommate. He thought Chad should just hook the girl up to the Aetherator or whatever he wanted to call it, zap her, and be done with it, but he could also appreciate Chad’s caution. He’d seen how the professor had almost been destroyed by melancholia from exposure to the Eros Element.
    “Hello?” The soft voice outside the workshop floated through the din of sounds from outside and cut through the chattering thoughts that always seemed to accompany Patrick.
    “Aye?” he called. “Come in!”
    Claire McPhee pushed the door aside and walked in, her eyes wide. In time past, she would have stridden in confidently, familiar with every piece of equipment. Today she entered timidly, and she fixated on the glowing aether disk in its glass chamber.
    “What is it?”
    Patrick threw a cloth over it. “Nothin’ for ye to worry about. What can I do fer ye?” He thickened his brogue rather than suppressing it as he was wont to do. Chad had warned him to try not to trigger any memories. It felt strange to play-act with this girl—no, woman—he used to know so