Read Online The Golden Spider (The Elemental Web Chronicles Book 1) by Anne Renwick - Free Book Online
Authors: Anne Renwick
Tags: spies, Victorian London, British nobility, college university relationships, biotechnology espionage, steampunk mystery romance, 19th century historical
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as assigned, to make her neurachnid establish connections with cranial nerves and to locate her sister and the formula for the nerve agent. Perhaps it might ease his pain.
If, in her limited spare time, she managed to recreate the original spider’s ability to repair peripheral somatic nerves, she would press Henri for details, and then, if warranted, broach the possibility of repairing Thornton’s leg as well as her brother’s.
She focused on the task at hand, lifting her satchel, unbuckling it, and drawing out its contents. “Along with what parts I could procure, I brought a copy of the original design sketches and all my notes.” She spread out her sketches and waited as Henri fitted a monocle to one eye, lowered himself onto a laboratory stool, and bent close. Amanda held her breath. This was the first time anyone besides Ned had examined her clockwork mechanism.
“Clever, most clever,” Henri murmured, scanning the pages, his finger marking his progress. Then, he abruptly stood and tucked his monocle into a waistcoat pocket.
“Did you notice any improvements I must make? Alterations?”
“Ah. Yes. A few. Come. We will discuss them as we walk.” He crossed the room, tossing aside his leather apron. He pulled on a coat and set a bowler hat atop his head. “A beautiful fall day. The sun shines. We must not waste it. Too many days I have not felt the sun on my face. England, the weather is so contrary.”
“Where are we going?” Amanda pulled on her own jacket, her hat and, adjusting the bow beneath her chin, somewhat reluctantly followed Henri from the laboratory.
“To begin, a visit to Clockwork Corridor is called for,” he announced. “These parts you have need of, they are not here. I take you to a favored horologist who has only gears of the highest quality. The gypsy Nicu will have what we need.”
“Nicu Sindel?” Amanda asked in amazement, warming at the prospect of greeting an old mentor and friend.
He paused, lifting an eyebrow. “You know this man?”
“I do indeed.” She took a deep breath, but stopped herself. A lady did not publicly claim gypsies as relatives. At least, not when she’d promised her father she wouldn’t. Announcing that Nicu Sindel was none other than grandfather to her brother-in-law would generate more questions than Amanda was prepared to answer. “Years ago, his family camped on our estate. Nicu gave me—and my brother and sisters—our first lessons in clockwork.”
“Ah, the inspiration for your spider.” Henri nodded. “I take you then, to a reunion of great minds.”
Chapter Eight
“ M ORE ANESTHESIA,” Thornton instructed when the rat’s foot twitched.
“Informality does not preclude basic manners,” Lady Huntley stated.
She reminded him of his mother. He heaved an exasperated sigh. “Please.”
With practiced movement, Lady Huntley placed the small rubber mask over nose and whiskers and turned a knob. With a hiss, the machine delivered a measured dose of chloroform. Enough to keep their small patient unconscious.
There was a faint snick of a lock disengaging. Only one other person besides Lady Huntley and himself had unlimited access to this inner laboratory. About to insert the lens with microtweezers, Thornton paused, his hand hovering over the rat, and addressed Black. “Any leads?” Deftly placing the lens, he nodded to Lady Huntley. The surgery was complete. Tomorrow, they would test focus length and aperture. Thornton set down the tweezers and turned around on the stool, giving his fellow agent full attention.
Black was their only hope of obtaining gypsy cooperation. With a gypsy mother, he had been raised in caravan, constantly on the move. While his heritage brought a variety of unusual skills to the agency, the ability to speak the Romani language and move about the gypsy camps with ease was why he had been tasked with solving these particular crimes.
“I did manage to find the victim’s family. They’re
If, in her limited spare time, she managed to recreate the original spider’s ability to repair peripheral somatic nerves, she would press Henri for details, and then, if warranted, broach the possibility of repairing Thornton’s leg as well as her brother’s.
She focused on the task at hand, lifting her satchel, unbuckling it, and drawing out its contents. “Along with what parts I could procure, I brought a copy of the original design sketches and all my notes.” She spread out her sketches and waited as Henri fitted a monocle to one eye, lowered himself onto a laboratory stool, and bent close. Amanda held her breath. This was the first time anyone besides Ned had examined her clockwork mechanism.
“Clever, most clever,” Henri murmured, scanning the pages, his finger marking his progress. Then, he abruptly stood and tucked his monocle into a waistcoat pocket.
“Did you notice any improvements I must make? Alterations?”
“Ah. Yes. A few. Come. We will discuss them as we walk.” He crossed the room, tossing aside his leather apron. He pulled on a coat and set a bowler hat atop his head. “A beautiful fall day. The sun shines. We must not waste it. Too many days I have not felt the sun on my face. England, the weather is so contrary.”
“Where are we going?” Amanda pulled on her own jacket, her hat and, adjusting the bow beneath her chin, somewhat reluctantly followed Henri from the laboratory.
“To begin, a visit to Clockwork Corridor is called for,” he announced. “These parts you have need of, they are not here. I take you to a favored horologist who has only gears of the highest quality. The gypsy Nicu will have what we need.”
“Nicu Sindel?” Amanda asked in amazement, warming at the prospect of greeting an old mentor and friend.
He paused, lifting an eyebrow. “You know this man?”
“I do indeed.” She took a deep breath, but stopped herself. A lady did not publicly claim gypsies as relatives. At least, not when she’d promised her father she wouldn’t. Announcing that Nicu Sindel was none other than grandfather to her brother-in-law would generate more questions than Amanda was prepared to answer. “Years ago, his family camped on our estate. Nicu gave me—and my brother and sisters—our first lessons in clockwork.”
“Ah, the inspiration for your spider.” Henri nodded. “I take you then, to a reunion of great minds.”
Chapter Eight
“ M ORE ANESTHESIA,” Thornton instructed when the rat’s foot twitched.
“Informality does not preclude basic manners,” Lady Huntley stated.
She reminded him of his mother. He heaved an exasperated sigh. “Please.”
With practiced movement, Lady Huntley placed the small rubber mask over nose and whiskers and turned a knob. With a hiss, the machine delivered a measured dose of chloroform. Enough to keep their small patient unconscious.
There was a faint snick of a lock disengaging. Only one other person besides Lady Huntley and himself had unlimited access to this inner laboratory. About to insert the lens with microtweezers, Thornton paused, his hand hovering over the rat, and addressed Black. “Any leads?” Deftly placing the lens, he nodded to Lady Huntley. The surgery was complete. Tomorrow, they would test focus length and aperture. Thornton set down the tweezers and turned around on the stool, giving his fellow agent full attention.
Black was their only hope of obtaining gypsy cooperation. With a gypsy mother, he had been raised in caravan, constantly on the move. While his heritage brought a variety of unusual skills to the agency, the ability to speak the Romani language and move about the gypsy camps with ease was why he had been tasked with solving these particular crimes.
“I did manage to find the victim’s family. They’re
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