Clockworks and Corsets by Regina Riley Read Free Book Online Page A

She lowered her own gun. She motioned for Click to sheath his blade.
    “Captain, I don’t think—” Jax said.
    “I said lower your weapons,” the captain repeated.
    Jax did so with a grunt. She glared at Gabriella.
    “Excellent,” the stranger said. “Now that we’re planning on acting like civilized beings, perhaps you would like to join me for a cup of tea?”
    The captain motioned the crew forward. They stepped into the opening. When they crossed the threshold, the door rumbled back to its closed position. Jax tried to prop it open with her blade, but the weight of the door snapped the tempered steel in two before it swallowed the last of the daylight. Now they stood in the cool of the darkness, one weapon less than before.
    “Don’t worry,” the stranger said. “You are free to leave at any time. Just say the word and I’ll reopen it for you.”

    “Then open again,” Jax growled.
    “So soon?” He chuckled softly. “No. I don’t think your captain is ready to go just yet. Now, let your eyes adjust and come to the end of the hall when you are ready. I shall be waiting for you.”
    “Adjust?” Magpie scoffed. “To what? The blackness or the total darkness?”
    After a few moments, Gabriella realized it wasn’t total darkness at all. A soft glow along the walls lit what appeared to be a hallway. She ran her fingers over the spongy, damp glow
    “Phosphorescent moss,” Jayne explained.
    “Captain,” Jax said. “Are you sure this is wisest course of actions?”
    The captain seemed to ignore the question. Instead, she strode with her head held high to the hallway’s end. She looked over her shoulder at the crew. “Shall I collect Ruby’s money alone?”
    The crew quickly fell in line behind her.
    The hallway emptied into a foyer, complete with an umbrella stand and boot scraper, both of which were rusted with age. A small bench stood in one corner, looking like a single touch would cause its collapse. Another closed door lay across from the entrance. Before the captain could reach it, the door gave a click. It swung wide, welcoming the party further inside. They followed through to a receiving room.
    Here, the furniture was also tattered. Dilapidated curtains hung from bricked up windows.
    The carpet was bald in arching paths around the room. Aside from the wear and tear, the room itself was very neat, lit by the glow of a roaring fireplace. Gabriella looked around in wonder. This was not what she’d expected to find in the middle of the wild jungle.
    Then again, nothing could have prepared her for what she saw next.
    Standing beside the fireplace, with one arm propped against the mantle and the other hand thrust into his jacket pocket, was the handsomest man Gabriella had seen in her life. He was tall, even taller than Click. An amber wave of short locks spilled from his crown, giving him the appearance of a halo in the low light of the room. Flickering shadows danced across his regal face, showing pale marble features, he had a broad, prominent brow, a stout, bold chin, and a commanding, yet still quite kissable mouth. The handsomest thing about the man was his eyes. The color of polished copper, the man’s eyes shone bright and friendly, with a hint of the mysterious and mischievous echoing from deep within. Gabriella thought they were the kind of eyes that could pierce a woman to her very soul.
    Gabriella looked down at her filthy brown uniform. She worried at the grime under her unkempt nails. She was a mess. What she wouldn’t give for one of her finer dresses right now. To have her hair done in a proper way. Her nails buffed to a shine. She hated to think it, but her mother was right. One never got a second chance at first impressions. Even in the tropical wild!
    So, unwilling to face the young man, Gabriella hid behind Magpie.
    “Finally,” the stranger said. “It is so good to have company.”
    “What are you doing here?” the captain asked. Her hand wandered to her