Read Online Steampunk Carnival (Steam World Book 1) by Cassandra Leuthold - Free Book Online
Authors: Cassandra Leuthold
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us.”
“Thank you.” In a desperate whisper, the game runner added, “You don’t have it with you, do you?”
“No, I’m sorry. We’ve kept it hidden. It’s safe with us.”
“It’s better that way, at least for now.” The game runner stepped out of his stall. “I’ll take the streetcar. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“We’ll wait for you.”
Katya and Magdalene walked away. When they passed the Beast and saw the carnival carriage waiting for them outside the gates, they moved a little faster. Magdalene sidled up alongside Mr. Davies and gestured for him to lean down to her. Katya climbed up into the carriage with Irina and the charwoman. Irina looked her over sharply, and Katya pretended not to mind.
Mr. Davies uttered a quiet, “Yes, miss,” and Magdalene claimed the empty seat next to Katya.
Mr. Davies drove them into town, straight up Madison Avenue toward the city’s circular heart. Katya tapped her foot impatiently to the striking of the horse’s hooves. Mr. Davies stopped to let Irina and the charwoman off at their homes in the western neighborhoods before changing his route and turning east down Washington Street. The carriage turned again when it reached Circle Park and slowed to resting outside the twin towers flanking the gothic facade of St. John’s Church.
Katya and Magdalene descended to the sidewalk.
Mr. Davies slid to the near end of his seat. “Are you sure you want to be here at this time of the morning?”
Magdalene considered the church, her expression pensive. Katya could see the concern in her eyes. “We’re waiting for someone. We won’t be alone very long.”
“You’re meeting a man, Miss Harvey?”
“Not for the reason you think. Do you think I would?”
Mr. Davies’ bunched shoulders relaxed. “No. Please be careful, ladies.”
“We will,” they chimed in together.
Reluctantly, Mr. Davies returned to the center of his seat and flipped the horse’s reins. He rode away down Tennessee Street.
Katya listened to the retreating carriage and night sounds of animals prowling the maze of nearby allies. “Do you think we’re safe?”
“We have no choice.” Magdalene studied the church’s architecture, a large round window high in the center above an impressive, peaked doorway. “I’m sure we’re fine. Just be quiet until the game runner gets here.”
Katya nodded. “I wish I wasn’t dressed so well.”
“You could take your jacket off.”
“Not at this hour.”
Magdalene walked up to the church and reached for the door handle. Katya stayed close behind her, and they slipped into the front hall. Except for occasional rustling in the next room, the church sat still and silent. Katya and Magdalene crept forward toward the sanctuary, the largest room Katya had ever seen. Even in the dim light of a few lamps, she could see the ceiling arching up two or three stories to curve over their heads. At least two dozen rows of pews stretched out in front of them before the dais. The rustling continued from some of the pews as people shifted positions, their heads, elbows, and feet occasionally knocking against the wood.
Magdalene ushered Katya into the first pew on the right, and they sat huddled, looking around the room. Katya did not know how many homeless had crawled into the church pews for a secure place to rest. She hoped the game runner knew what he was doing meeting them there. Their voices could carry anywhere in the cavernous room, waking the sleeping and feeding them the unfortunate business of the country’s most interesting attraction.
Chapter Ten
Katya remembered Mrs. Weeks following the newspapers closely for months while the inventor Thomas Edison struggled with his experiments on electricity and light. Katya had paid the most attention to the articles that mentioned how his work, if successful, could be applied for purposes of entertainment. Unlike Mr. Warden’s carnival, the visionaries speculated, rides and coasters
“Thank you.” In a desperate whisper, the game runner added, “You don’t have it with you, do you?”
“No, I’m sorry. We’ve kept it hidden. It’s safe with us.”
“It’s better that way, at least for now.” The game runner stepped out of his stall. “I’ll take the streetcar. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“We’ll wait for you.”
Katya and Magdalene walked away. When they passed the Beast and saw the carnival carriage waiting for them outside the gates, they moved a little faster. Magdalene sidled up alongside Mr. Davies and gestured for him to lean down to her. Katya climbed up into the carriage with Irina and the charwoman. Irina looked her over sharply, and Katya pretended not to mind.
Mr. Davies uttered a quiet, “Yes, miss,” and Magdalene claimed the empty seat next to Katya.
Mr. Davies drove them into town, straight up Madison Avenue toward the city’s circular heart. Katya tapped her foot impatiently to the striking of the horse’s hooves. Mr. Davies stopped to let Irina and the charwoman off at their homes in the western neighborhoods before changing his route and turning east down Washington Street. The carriage turned again when it reached Circle Park and slowed to resting outside the twin towers flanking the gothic facade of St. John’s Church.
Katya and Magdalene descended to the sidewalk.
Mr. Davies slid to the near end of his seat. “Are you sure you want to be here at this time of the morning?”
Magdalene considered the church, her expression pensive. Katya could see the concern in her eyes. “We’re waiting for someone. We won’t be alone very long.”
“You’re meeting a man, Miss Harvey?”
“Not for the reason you think. Do you think I would?”
Mr. Davies’ bunched shoulders relaxed. “No. Please be careful, ladies.”
“We will,” they chimed in together.
Reluctantly, Mr. Davies returned to the center of his seat and flipped the horse’s reins. He rode away down Tennessee Street.
Katya listened to the retreating carriage and night sounds of animals prowling the maze of nearby allies. “Do you think we’re safe?”
“We have no choice.” Magdalene studied the church’s architecture, a large round window high in the center above an impressive, peaked doorway. “I’m sure we’re fine. Just be quiet until the game runner gets here.”
Katya nodded. “I wish I wasn’t dressed so well.”
“You could take your jacket off.”
“Not at this hour.”
Magdalene walked up to the church and reached for the door handle. Katya stayed close behind her, and they slipped into the front hall. Except for occasional rustling in the next room, the church sat still and silent. Katya and Magdalene crept forward toward the sanctuary, the largest room Katya had ever seen. Even in the dim light of a few lamps, she could see the ceiling arching up two or three stories to curve over their heads. At least two dozen rows of pews stretched out in front of them before the dais. The rustling continued from some of the pews as people shifted positions, their heads, elbows, and feet occasionally knocking against the wood.
Magdalene ushered Katya into the first pew on the right, and they sat huddled, looking around the room. Katya did not know how many homeless had crawled into the church pews for a secure place to rest. She hoped the game runner knew what he was doing meeting them there. Their voices could carry anywhere in the cavernous room, waking the sleeping and feeding them the unfortunate business of the country’s most interesting attraction.
Chapter Ten
Katya remembered Mrs. Weeks following the newspapers closely for months while the inventor Thomas Edison struggled with his experiments on electricity and light. Katya had paid the most attention to the articles that mentioned how his work, if successful, could be applied for purposes of entertainment. Unlike Mr. Warden’s carnival, the visionaries speculated, rides and coasters
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