Clockworks and Corsets by Regina Riley Page B

swell to bursting.

    “I may very well be,” Atom admitted. “Because they have no intention of releasing us. In fact, there was mention of having us for a midnight snack.”
    “Great,” the captain said. “Just how I want to leave this world. In the belly of that grinning maniac.”
    “You said you lied twice,” Gabriella said.
    Atom turned to her and sighed. “I’m so sorry, my angel. I never wanted to deceive you, but I didn’t know what you would think of me otherwise.” He pushed a stray hair from her face. “I’m still afraid you will hate me.”
    She trembled under his touch. “I could never hate you.” She clutched his hand in her own, staring into his angelic eyes. They shared a brief smile.
    “Just come out with it,” Jayne said.
    Atom frowned, his gaze never leaving Gabriella. “I’m armed.”
    The women all heaved a sigh. Gabriella furrowed her brow. She didn’t understand what all the concern on his face was about.
    “Geesh,” Magpie said. “The way you were carrying on, I thought it was going to be something bigger.”
    Atom turned to Magpie with a solemn look. “You don’t understand. I am armed. Even now.”
    “They left you with a weapon?” the captain asked, quicker than the others.
    “Yes,” Atom said.
    “Let’s have it then,” Jayne said. “We might be able to get out of this yet.”
    Atom turned back to Gabriella. He laid a single trembling hand on her face. Her heart rose to her throat when he drew close to her ear and whispered, “Please promise that you will be honest with me. No pretense. I want the truth about how you feel after I show you this.”
    Gabriella smiled, yet had no idea why. She had never been more confused in her life. “I promise.”
    Atom let her go. He hung his head as he got to his feet. After undoing the buttons of his jacket, he slipped it off, leaving him in his vest and long-sleeved shirt. He held up his hand, the perpetually gloved one. “I want to make it clear that this was the doctor’s idea. Not mine.”
    With that, he slid the glove from his hand.

Chapter 8
    Mechanical Ministrations
    In which we join our antagonist as she takes in an unusual show.
    Ruby rushed along the quiet hall of the Red House’s lower chambers in a hurry to make her meeting. She slipped past a line of closed doors, behind which a multitude of sins were taking place all while making her a very wealthy woman. Lifting her dress by the handfuls, Ruby picked up the pace to a light trot. It wasn’t out of respect for the individual that she rushed. She was never shy about making a man wait. No. Ruby was in a hurry because she was excited.
    Today she entertained Mr. Black.
    By the time Ruby reached the last door, she was quite out of breath. Pausing to gather herself, she smoothed out the lace of her dress and ran her hands over her hair to make sure nothing was out of place. She had learned long ago that it was the little things that bound a man’s service to you.
    Ironically, perfection was something that Mr. Black admired, so perfect she had to be. Assured that all was well, Ruby pushed the door open and found Mr. Black seated, as usual, waiting patiently for her to join him.
    Once, not long ago, Mr. Black was the talk of the town. He stood tall and muscular, with a dashing smile and bedroom eyes that had helped him loosen many a corset, including Ruby’s.
    While the man was a devil in the bedroom, he was pure hell in the business world. A shrewd mind and easy morals helped him to become one of the most powerful men in the country. He was wealthy, handsome, and more while in his prime.
    The man that waited for Ruby was a mere ghost of his former glory. Ruby supposed a near death experience could do that to a man. Well, that and a spinal cord injury that had robbed him of nearly everything below the waist. After his accident, Mr. Black had found his life forever altered.
    Rejected by his peers, spurned by friends and lost in a cloud of self doubt, a man like him