The Clockwork Wolf (33 page)

I wanted to sleep for another week, but I'd imposed on Rina long enough, and forced myself out of bed. Once I'd dressed and had an enormous breakfast with Rina, Wrecker drove me home. The last person I expected to see sitting on the steps of my goldstone was Annie. She stood up and peered at me as Wrecker helped me out of the carri. I smiled as I saw her absently reach to twist the apron she wasn't wearing.

“It seems I have company,” I told Rina's man. “It's all right, I can take it from—oof.” Suddenly I was being hugged like a rag doll.

“Milady told us what you done for the city. Getting caught between them natives and the Wolfmen was foolish, reckless, and shoulda got you killed dead, Miss Kit.” Wrecker drew back and straightened my hat, his expression softening with fondness. “I don't know how you do it. You're like a cat with all them lives.”

“Cat, fox, something.” I shrugged. “Thanks for the ride, mate.”

Annie didn't wait for me to reach the steps; she trotted over and bobbed quickly. “Milady said I was to watch for you and tell you straightaway when you come. I didn't want to leave her when it started, but that sister showed up and said she'd manage everything—”

I held up my hands. “Slow down, Annie. What's started?”

“It's the baby, miss,” she said. “Herself is having it, right now.” She grimaced. “Um, in your bed.”

“Now?” I rushed past her, pausing only to toss my
hat and reticule on the hall table before running back to my bedchamber.

Sister James was coming out of the room with an armful of stained linens. “There you are. Milady was hoping you'd come home soon.” She beamed. “Everything went very well—and very fast for a first child, too.”

“The baby was born? How? It's hardly a minute old.” I recalled Janice's swollen belly and Lady Bestly's age. “Is her ladyship going to be all right?”

“She did beautifully, and the baby's fine, too,” the sister said. “You can go in and see them if you like.”

I hardly knew what to expect when I stepped in, but it was not to see Lady Bestly sitting in my rocker chair and cooing to the small bundle in her arms. As soon as she spied me she gestured for me to come closer.

“I have delivered a son,” she said with a touch of her old arrogance. “I was waiting for you to return when the pains started. I thought Hartley might have to deliver the boy when Sister James arrived.” She held out her arms. “Go on, Kit. He doesn't bite.”

With great reluctance I took the surprisingly heavy bundle from her, and looked down at the wee glowing face of the sleeping infant. Golden hair covered his little round head, and as I smiled he opened his eyes and stared up at me. “He has your eyes, milady.”

“He has rather more than that,” she said dryly.

A little arm worked its way out of the swaddling, and gears whirred as the tiny, golden mechanized hand attached to it swiveled, grasping the air.

“Oh, God.” I sat down in the chair beside hers and opened the swaddling. His left foot was also made of
mech, and in the center of his chest was a pocket watch–size medallion of gold.

“Sister James believes your grandfather's spell to protect the babe caused the unique fusion,” his mother told me. “Christopher must have already been changing when it was cast. Harry saved my son, Kit.”

I glanced at her. “Can the mech be removed?”

She shook her head. “Not without hurting and crippling him. Sister examined his differences with a magnifier and found they are all part flesh. She believes they will grow with him, although we shall have to keep close watch for any malfunctions.”

I regarded the baby boy, who was watching my face with his solemn blue eyes. “I don't know what to say, milady. I know my grandfather never intended to do anything more than protect him. I'm so sorry.”

“My son is alive, and so am I. As Terrance's heir he inherits the estate. We now have a future, thanks to you and your friends. Christopher will be a very unique young man, but no less adored because of his differences.” She gave the baby a fond look. “Indeed, I think him superior in every way.”

I wrapped the blanket over the baby before I carefully returned him to his mother. “Christopher was my father's name.”

“As well as my own.” She chuckled. “And you said we had absolutely nothing in common.”

After assuring Eugenia that she would not be permitted to leave my bedchamber—or the premises—until she had fully recovered, I went to see to rooms for Sister James and Annie. Before I'd bought the goldstone it had been home to several other families, so I had enough rooms to house a dozen visitors.

Once I'd made up the beds I went in search of Annie, whom I found preparing a meal downstairs.

“I hope you don't mind me taking over your kitchen, miss,” she said as she rushed from stirring a pot on the stove to punching down a crock of dough. “I didn't think Herself would be able to leave with the baby and all, so I figured I'd cobble up some morning tea and get a start on luncheon.”

I peered at the pot. “I didn't think I had any food in the house.”

“Oh, you didn't, miss,” Annie assured me. “Sister James sent me with a list to the market right after the baby came.” She smiled shyly at me. “Right handsome lad, isn't he? All that gorgeous hair, 'twas like spun gold.”

I thought of the baby's more unique features. “He's quite exceptional.”

“You needn't worry about his little gadgetry parts,” Annie said, astonishing me. “There's gloves and shoes
aplenty, for while he's little, so no one makes merry over them. World's gone so modern that by the time he's growed up I expect everyone will have them.”

“Annie, I doubt any other babies will be born with . . .” I trailed off as I remembered Felicity and Janice, and all the other women who had been attacked by the Wolfmen. “Oh, Harry.” I sat down on one of the kitchen stools and held my head in my hands.

“There, there, now, miss.” A flour-dusted hand awkwardly patted my shoulder. “T'wasn't your doing, you know. You and Mr. Harry saved all them children from becoming monsters.” She crouched down before me to look in my eyes. “Sister and me and the others, we'll look after them.”

A terrible suspicion seized me. “You and Sister and what others?”

“She did tell you there were more of us,” she said, standing and nodding at the stove, where the pot of soup was presently stirring itself.

“You're spirit-born.” A giggle escaped me. “And you can cook with your mind.”

“Here, now.” Annie helped me up from the stool. “What you need, miss, is sleep and lots of it. Sister and I'll manage, and I'll wake you in time for dinner.”

I nodded tiredly and trudged to the door. Before I stepped out, I glanced back at Annie. “Just how many others like us are there? Do you know?”

She made a face. “Can't count so good.” She looked round the kitchen and pointed to the wall. “They stored grain in the walls here once, didn't they?” When I nodded, she said, “There are more of us than that.”

My eyes widened. “You mean, more than the amount of grain it takes to fill the wall?”

“All the walls in the house, miss,” she corrected. “And maybe some of your neighbors' walls.”

I couldn't count that high, I thought as I trudged upstairs to make up one more room for myself. Although I meant to stay closer, my feet kept going until I was on the top floor in my old flat. My renovations hadn't reached this level, and aside from some furnishings I'd carried down to my new quarters, the flat was almost exactly as it had been when I'd lived in the building as a tenant.

I was too tired to strip the bed, so I pulled back the slightly dusty coverlet to air the sheets, and opened the hearth flue to let some of the heat from downstairs warm the room. In the dresser I found a threadbare sleeping gown to wear and draped it over the drying stand by the hearth as I undressed.

Lady Bestly had been the first woman Lykaon had used as a vessel; in the days to come dozens of women would be delivering the children Harry had bespelled.

“Sister James is going to be very busy,” I muttered as I drew the old gown over my head. Something tickled my neck, and I reached to pull it out of my collar. The leather thong no longer held the carved shell pendant, but now sported a black feather with a deep blue sheen and three greenstone beads tied to its quill.

“Pretty pendant,” a low voice said, making me jump. “I like it much better than the other one.”

I closed my eyes for a moment. “Tommy Doyle, if you stood there and watched me undress without saying
a word, I'm going to report you for a peeper.” I took the feather over to the dresser and dropped it into the drawer before I turned round. “How are you?”

“Heavier than I was. I've broken six mugs and two chairs since I've gone back to work.” He came into the room and inspected it before fixing his gaze on my face. “My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I know I owe you my life.”

I batted the air. “Next time we're near a tea cart you can buy me a sticky bun.”

“What about the park?”

“What about it?” I glided round the bed, putting it between us. “You were bespelled by Lykaon. Magic has a strange effect on the mind and the memory, and you're not believing a word of this. Right.” I sat down on the bed and looked down at my hands. “Why couldn't you have been mindless? It would make things so much simpler.”

“No, it wouldn't.” He came and sat down beside me. “Kit, when that blood magic told hold of me I fought it with everything I had, everything I am. I've never been so angry or frightened or enraged in my life, but I could do nothing. It was horrifying to be so helpless, and then I was sent after you. I thought I would see you die at my hands—not feel you welcome me into your arms.”

“I didn't know what else to do.” I leaned against his shoulder. “I had to bring you back.”

“I think you saved my sanity as well as my life.” He took something out of his pocket and placed it in my hand, holding his palm over it. “I'm not the grandson of a duke. I'm a cop, and when I'm not being meddled with,
I'm a good one. I live simply in a house much like this one, no debts or obligations, no mistresses or bastards to support. I'll marry in the eyes of God and Church, which means no divorce.” He took away his hand.

I stared at the plain gold wedding band on my palm. “Tommy, you don't have to do this just because we—”

He put two fingers against my lips. “What I'm asking is for you to think on it. Consider what your life would be like as my wife. You know I'd never lock you in a house or try to stop you from your work, any more than you'd keep me from mine. I'd trust in you and I'd never give you reason to doubt me. I swear to you, Charmian Kittredge, that I'd be a good and faithful husband to you until the day I die.”

“Of course you would.” My eyes stung, and I blinked back hot tears. “But . . . you don't have to do this.”

“I want to. I want you to be my wife.” He cupped my chin, raising it to place a gentle kiss at one corner of my mouth and then the other. “What happened between us in the park made me realize how much. You opened your heart and your body to me, Kit. Would it be so hard to let me in again, and have me stay?”

“No.” I could see myself as Tommy's wife; as clear and true as if we'd already stood before the vicar and made our promises. He wouldn't be a good husband; he'd be the best of them.

He eased back and smiled at me. “Now go to sleep. You look as if you're ready to drop. I'll be back for an answer in a few days.”

He kissed my brow before he left, and once he had I fell against the pillows and groaned. “A baby and now
an offer of marriage. I am never getting out of this bed again.”

I rested my cheek on the pillow as I looked at the ring Tommy had given me. It wasn't new, as I feared, and when I looked inside the band I saw a worn inscription in elegant script:
To B. from yr loving A.
It was his grandmother Beatrice's wedding ring, of course. Somewhere in Heaven Uncle Arthur was probably chuckling himself pink.

I placed it on the nightstand before I put out the lamp and stared up at the ceiling. Arthur Doyle had instilled a strict code of honor in Tommy; naturally he wanted to make an honest woman of me. We'd gotten along famously as children and I very much liked the man he'd become. He wouldn't expect me to stay home and have his children, not unless that was what I wanted. As his wife I'd come to want that. We'd probably make beautiful babies together.

I closed my burning eyes. Every bit of sense in my head said yes, marry him. I'd be loved, and I'd be safe.

Love isn't about being safe, Charmian.

I'd fallen asleep, and a fat lot of good that did me.
I'm tired,
I told the sparkling darkness swirling round me.
Go dazzle someone else.

You listened to the inspector.
Dredmore emerged from the whirlwind, raising his hand to release a burst of silver sparks.
Now you'll hear me.

It's very rude to eavesdrop on private conversations.
I turned my back on him.
And it's nothing to do with you.

On the contrary. Doyle has an advantage over me now.
Cool hands alighted on my shoulders.
But I have prior claim.

Despite what the Crown thinks of women I'm not a piece of property to be squabbled over or seized.
The way he was caressing my arms was making my knees weak.
Nor should you be coming to me in a dream.

It's the only way I can get to you.
Dredmore turned me round to face him.
Inspector Doyle is a very good man. He would make a fine husband for any woman.