A Study in Silks

Bird flew to the top of the box and poked its shining beak at a feather. How should I know? You’re the amateur detective.

Mouse lashed its skinny tail. You might have the gemstones, brother, but you lack manners.

It’s been a hard and dirty few days on the streets. Only the surly survive.

Mouse’s whiskers bristled. Evelina intervened. “What did you find out?”

I followed your policeman. He spent a lot of time talking to the staff who work in the houses around here. They only had the usual things to say about the dead girl.

“Like what?”

Worked hard. Liked her bit of fun. There were a few men she walked out with, but lately seemed to favor a particular sweetheart.

The one who got her pregnant, no doubt. “Is that it?”

Your man went to see a lout he called the streetkeeper of the Yellowbacks, but he was in bed with a knife wound to the leg. He wasn’t much good for talking.

“Why did Lestrade question him?”

It was to do with something else, but the girl’s name came up. The Yellowbacks had been watching her come and go across their turf. It sounds like this sweetheart of hers convinced her to deal with some unpleasant people, but she would never reveal the man’s name.

Was it love that had Grace running gold and jewels across London? Risking her freedom, if not her life, for a few kisses? Evelina was disappointed, and on many levels. “I’d hoped for more specifics.”

So did Inspector Lestrade. You’re lucky that you have me. I made one more stop. By then I was starting to get curious.

“Really?” Anticipation twinged in her chest.

Your policeman made much of the fact that she had just returned home from a journey the night she died.

Yes?

So I talked to the deva who lives in the hedge by the gate. He says he saw her with a man.

“Tobias.”

That’s right, but then the hedge deva said something else. They weren’t the first couple outside the side door that night.

“I heard a man and a woman talking there earlier.”

The hedge deva said the man and his shadow came here more than once.

“His shadow?” Evelina asked.

One doesn’t get the best quality information from a shrub.

Just then Imogen put her head through the door, scattering Evelina’s thoughts. “There you are. I thought I saw the inspector leave.” She slid inside the room and closed the door behind her. She was still in the pale pink and green gown she’d worn in the garden. “All those questions! What a dreadful way to finish off a horrible day. Why couldn’t that all have waited? Poor Mama! I had to put her to bed. This was all too much for her. A utilities failure? Anyone with an ounce of sense knows we’ve been Disconnected!”

Imogen’s mouth quivered, but she swallowed hard and bit her lips together, refusing to cry. Evelina rose and took her friend in her arms. “Imogen, I’m so sorry this happened.”

Imogen took in a long, shuddering breath. “It’s not your fault. I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

Evelina released her and made her sit down in the chair where Lestrade had been. “Your father is a clever man. He’ll think of something.” And so will I.

“It’s one thing to have offended Mr. Keating, but with the detectives arriving on top of all that … What do you think it means, Lestrade arriving tonight of all nights?”

It meant nothing good, but she wasn’t going to add to Imogen’s woes. Evelina glanced at Mouse as she resumed her own seat. Mouse had jumped inside of the box and was sitting as still and stiff as Bird. “I think the police delayed questioning the family as long as they could. They started with the servants, but I don’t believe they learned anything of value. Otherwise they would have arrested someone and spared us the ordeal.”

As if conscious of being watched, Mouse twitched the end of its long, steel tail. It made a scraping sound against the bottom of the box.

Imogen leaned forward, peering at the side table where the box sat. “What have you got there? Oh, what clever, darling little devices! I need to see something wonderful right now.”

Device? Bird grouched. I’m more than just a lump of brass!

“Do you like them?” Evelina replied airily. Be quiet! She’s not supposed to know you’re alive!

She did say darling and clever. I can forgive a lot for that.

“Of course I adore it.” Imogen scooped the bird out of the box, then nearly dropped it as it fluttered its wings, trying to balance. “Good gracious, it moves! Did Tobias make it?”

The bird squawked derisively. Evelina did not reply, wondering why the devil the bird wasn’t playing dead. Of course, it was a deva. Or perhaps diva. Neither were predictable.

“You made it, didn’t you?” Imogen gave her a sly look and stroked the bird’s shining head. It bobbed with pleasure, gems flashing in the candlelight. Then it gave a coo of adoration. Evelina watched as realization dawned on Imogen’s beautiful face, freezing her expression. “This creature is full of magic.”

Evelina’s breath caught, her whole body suddenly a block of ice. She leaned forward so quickly she nearly launched from the chair. “Hush!”

Imogen stared at her. She dropped her voice to a murmur. “Mechanics and magic. Living machine! Do you realize what you’ve done? This is genius!”

Evelina looked away, only slowly finding the courage to meet her friend’s gaze. She couldn’t help thinking of Nellie Reynolds dragged into court for witchcraft. “You can’t tell anyone. Promise me!”

Imogen was too excited to be serious. “Is this something your father’s people know how to do?”

Evelina waved her hands in a negating motion. “Only some of it. Promise not to tell.”

“Evelina—”

“Promise me!” Evelina gave in to her panic, grasping Imogen’s wrist.

Imogen yelped at the force of her grip. “Yes, I promise. Of course I promise!”

Evelina leaned closer. “You saw what the Gold King did to Dora. What do you think he would do if he discovered I have a whole new means of making machines work? Have you heard about the actress they arrested?”

Imogen closed her eyes a moment, turning pale. “I promise. I’ve heard about Nellie Reynolds’s trial.”

I knew she would promise. This one is good. Bird bumped its head against Imogen’s hand, like a cat begging to have its ears scratched. She stroked it, then squealed as Mouse ran up her leg so it, too, could beg for attention.

Imogen looked at Mouse with wide eyes. “This is your secret.”

Evelina released her breath. “It is.”

“I wouldn’t ever share it, if I were you.” Imogen’s tone was serious as she touched Mouse’s nose with her fingertip. “Some things are too wonderful to be safe in this world.”

“You know me. I’m careful.” Only once, faced with life and death, had Evelina given away her secret. During the worst of Imogen’s illness at school, Evelina had felt her slipping away, and she’d spent hours coaxing Imogen’s essence to stay with her body. She had won that battle, but even the memory of that horrible night made her hands tremble. That was how Imogen had a hint of what she could do, though they rarely spoke of it—at least until the dark of night, when Imogen had nightmares about her soul wandering away from her pale, cold body, or of being trapped in some dark, smothering place. Then all pretenses stopped.

Her friend’s fingers stilled. “I knew you could do magic, but nothing like this.”

“You were keeping too many of my secrets already. It didn’t seem fair to burden you with another.”

Imogen made a rude noise so loudly that the bird hopped to Evelina’s hand. “I don’t accept that. You’ll have to make it up to me.”