The Unpleasantness at Baskerville Hall (Reeves & Worcester Steampunk Mysteries Book 4) by Chris Dolley Page B

father. He’ll protect me.”
    “What about you, Lily?” asked Henry.
    Emmeline looked torn. She looked at me, and she looked at Lily before replying.
    “No, Emmeline’s the actress, not me,” she said.
    “Are you sure you won’t reconsider?” said Henry.
    “Let her go, Henry,” said Ida. “Can’t you see she’s scared?”
    I don’t think Ida realised she was one rock away from being floored. Emmeline balled both fists and gave Ida a scathing look. “I am not scared, Ida, and I do not need Henry or any man to protect me!”
    “Indeed not,” I said. “After seeing you deal with that Lizard Man, I was rather hoping you’d come back to the Hall and protect us. Don’t you agree, Sir Robert?”
    “Indeed, so,” chuckled Sir Robert.
    Ida did not see anything to chuckle about. She returned Emmeline’s scathing look with interest and I rather felt she’d have given a better account of herself than the Lizard Man had.
    ~
    Most of the party opted to remain at the quarry. I had the feeling that Henry would have quite welcomed an appearance by Selden, regarding it as an opportunity to add an extra scene to his moving picture. He did post an armed guard though, handing a shotgun to one of the stouter Lizard Men and giving him strict instructions to keep his eyes peeled and his body out of the shot when they were filming.
    The rest of us — Sir Robert, Morrow, Emmeline, Reeves and I — hastened up the track towards the Hall.
    We were a silent bunch, deep in thought one would imagine, pondering giant tabbies whilst keeping a vigilant eye on the undergrowth.
    After a minute or two, Morrow broke the silence with an unexpected, and troubling question.
    “Why did you call Emmeline Lily,” he asked Emmeline.
    “Did I?” said Emmeline.
    “You did,” said Morrow. “When you saw her on the ground.”
    “Well, it was her nickname at school,” said Emmeline. “I don’t know why. One of the other girls started it and it stuck I suppose. I haven’t called her Lily in ages though. Must have been the shock of seeing that monster about to attack her.”
    “And come to think of it,” said Morrow. “Didn’t you call Lily, Emmie, Roderick?”
    “I don’t think so,” I said, not liking the direction this conversation was taking.
    “I believe Mister Roderick did utter an invocation to the Argentinean saint, Madre Esmeralda, sir,” said Reeves. “It is common in the mining camps to use the shortened form of her name utilising only the initial letters ‘M’ and ‘E.’”
    “That’s right,” I said, joining in the subterfuge. “She’s our patron saint. I often feel called to invoke her name in times of stress, don’t I, Reeves? Em Ee, I say.”
    “Indeed, sir.”
    “I’ve never heard of Saint Madre Esmeralda,” said Morrow.
    “Few people have,” I said. “She didn’t get out much. Bit of a hermit, I think. Lived in a cave.”
    “I can’t see that fire any more,” said Emmeline thankfully changing the subject.
    “What fire?” said Sir Robert.
    “There was a large fire on the high moor beyond the mire,” said Emmeline. “We saw it on our walk earlier.”
    The fire had indeed gone out — or was burning lower. I scanned the far horizon and saw not even a wisp of smoke.
    “I wouldn’t pay any attention to any lights or fires you see on the mire or beyond,” said Sir Robert. “We’ve all seen them. Stapleford says it’s marsh gas. Berrymore says it’s piskies. All I know is that it’s best to stay well clear. The mire is no place for the curious.”

Eleven
    s the constable still here, Babbacombe?” Sir Robert asked the armed footman loitering by the main door to the Hall.
    “What constable, sir?” said Babbacombe.
    “The constable who brought the news about the escaped convict.”
    Babbacombe looked confused. “Ain’t seen no constable, sir. Ain’t seen nobody since Master Roderick and Miss Lily left.”
    I had one of those forebodings that we consulting detectives get just