Ede and Ravenscroft. “Legal outfitters . . .” America turned to the women in the carriage. “Are we picking up a barrister or do these gentlemen make your cloaks?”
The door of the carriage opened without sight or sound of anyone. Although, if she listened carefully, she could hear the whir and click of Cutter’s headwork.
America leaned forward. “Stay back!” the invisible Cutter hissed. “Here he comes.”
Ruby craned her neck to see down the row. “Good Lord, if it isn’t Tim Noggy.”
She sat back in her seat and waited. She heard footsteps and panting, just before a large man leaped inside the carriage.
“Make room, ladies.” The portly young man tossed a satchel into the carriage and squeezed through the door. He fell onto the seat beside Valentine and the carriage lurched off, quickly picking up speed—much too fast for this narrow lane. They had not traveled far when something large and heavy struck the roof of the coach.
All America could think about was the horrid creature that had attacked her in the hansom. Only this time she had with her three rather formidable Nightshades and this new chap, who continued to huff and puff.
“Where’s Cutter?” America cried. “Cutter? Where are you?”
Out of nowhere the machine head appeared outside the coach window, upside down. “Be right with you.”
“Not to worry.” Ruby winked. “He’s likely finishing off the Reaper that was after Tim.”
America did her best to ignore the high-pitched shrieks and thumping noises by focusing her attention on the round-faced young man across the aisle.
He also appeared curious about her. “Hello.”
“Hello, Mr. Noggy.”
He gave her a strange sort of military salute and dragged his portmanteau onto his lap. Digging inside, he removed a metal pipe about the length of a foot ruler. He pointed the object at the roof and followed the thumps and screeches back and forth.
Valentine stared. “What are you doing?”
Something hit the window next to America and she drew back. Large dark eyes stared into hers—black orbs with no whites. Strange waving tentacles, like long thick locks of hair, undulated around the creature’s head. So this was a Reaper. The jaw dropped down and a cavernous mouth opened, revealing layers of pointed teeth and something else. She caught a fleeting glance of a tongue curled up inside the mouth like a snake ready to strike. As suddenly as the creature had appeared, an arm reached down and yanked it out of sight. Her gaze tracked a bloodcurdling cry and a number of thuds back to the roof.
Tim Noggy pointed the pipe toward the mêlée above. “Hold on, I think I know which one’s which.” The moment Noggy toggled the lever, the screeching stopped—and the pounding. All that could be heard was a sucking and gurgling noise from the pipe-like object and the occasional patter of raindrops. Coincidentally it seemed the cloudburst had passed.
America swallowed. “What did you just do, Mr. Noggy?”
The moonfaced young man lifted his brows and shoulders simultaneously. “I shifted the Reaper back to the Outremer.”
America felt a bit dizzy—much like Alice must have felt plunging down the rabbit hole. “Is the Reaper gone or is it not?”
A shy smile broadened. “It’s gone.”
Cutter poked his head in the window. “Gone but not out for the count. We’ll likely meet up with him again on the other side—right Tim?” He unlatched the door and swung himself into the coach, feet first. He plopped down between America and Ruby.
America marveled at the peculiar new man. Noggy was obviously gifted but appeared to have little confidence in his expertise. He was also an assemblage of unsightly features. Stringy hair—much too long and shaggy, and a massive rough of beard, all in need of trimming. America’s nose told her the generous sized lad was also in very great need of a bath. But he had a sweet smile and that odd metal pipe was . . . impressive.
Cutter stuck the
The door of the carriage opened without sight or sound of anyone. Although, if she listened carefully, she could hear the whir and click of Cutter’s headwork.
America leaned forward. “Stay back!” the invisible Cutter hissed. “Here he comes.”
Ruby craned her neck to see down the row. “Good Lord, if it isn’t Tim Noggy.”
She sat back in her seat and waited. She heard footsteps and panting, just before a large man leaped inside the carriage.
“Make room, ladies.” The portly young man tossed a satchel into the carriage and squeezed through the door. He fell onto the seat beside Valentine and the carriage lurched off, quickly picking up speed—much too fast for this narrow lane. They had not traveled far when something large and heavy struck the roof of the coach.
All America could think about was the horrid creature that had attacked her in the hansom. Only this time she had with her three rather formidable Nightshades and this new chap, who continued to huff and puff.
“Where’s Cutter?” America cried. “Cutter? Where are you?”
Out of nowhere the machine head appeared outside the coach window, upside down. “Be right with you.”
“Not to worry.” Ruby winked. “He’s likely finishing off the Reaper that was after Tim.”
America did her best to ignore the high-pitched shrieks and thumping noises by focusing her attention on the round-faced young man across the aisle.
He also appeared curious about her. “Hello.”
“Hello, Mr. Noggy.”
He gave her a strange sort of military salute and dragged his portmanteau onto his lap. Digging inside, he removed a metal pipe about the length of a foot ruler. He pointed the object at the roof and followed the thumps and screeches back and forth.
Valentine stared. “What are you doing?”
Something hit the window next to America and she drew back. Large dark eyes stared into hers—black orbs with no whites. Strange waving tentacles, like long thick locks of hair, undulated around the creature’s head. So this was a Reaper. The jaw dropped down and a cavernous mouth opened, revealing layers of pointed teeth and something else. She caught a fleeting glance of a tongue curled up inside the mouth like a snake ready to strike. As suddenly as the creature had appeared, an arm reached down and yanked it out of sight. Her gaze tracked a bloodcurdling cry and a number of thuds back to the roof.
Tim Noggy pointed the pipe toward the mêlée above. “Hold on, I think I know which one’s which.” The moment Noggy toggled the lever, the screeching stopped—and the pounding. All that could be heard was a sucking and gurgling noise from the pipe-like object and the occasional patter of raindrops. Coincidentally it seemed the cloudburst had passed.
America swallowed. “What did you just do, Mr. Noggy?”
The moonfaced young man lifted his brows and shoulders simultaneously. “I shifted the Reaper back to the Outremer.”
America felt a bit dizzy—much like Alice must have felt plunging down the rabbit hole. “Is the Reaper gone or is it not?”
A shy smile broadened. “It’s gone.”
Cutter poked his head in the window. “Gone but not out for the count. We’ll likely meet up with him again on the other side—right Tim?” He unlatched the door and swung himself into the coach, feet first. He plopped down between America and Ruby.
America marveled at the peculiar new man. Noggy was obviously gifted but appeared to have little confidence in his expertise. He was also an assemblage of unsightly features. Stringy hair—much too long and shaggy, and a massive rough of beard, all in need of trimming. America’s nose told her the generous sized lad was also in very great need of a bath. But he had a sweet smile and that odd metal pipe was . . . impressive.
Cutter stuck the
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