The Girl in the Steel Corset - By Kady Cross Page 0,86
the carriage and hoisted her inside like she weighed no more than a child. Laughing, she fell back against the seat as he climbed inside to sit across from her. He shut the door and tapped on the roof to signal his driver to leave.
If either of them had thought to peek out the window they might have seen the man watching them—a man who wasn’t Jack Dandy. A man who scowled at the sight of them together and who turned down an alley to climb into a carriage driven by an automaton.
Chapter 17
Sam would rather eat glass than apologize to Finley, especially since the lunatic had almost killed him. But he had started the fight and tried to kill her, so he supposed that made them even.
Regardless, Emily was angry with him, as was Griffin. He was going to have to do a lot of apologizing to make up for this mess, and Finley was only the beginning.
He had to do it today, because apparently there were plans to go into the tunnels beneath the city later and he wasn’t about to let the lot of them go down there without him. It didn’t matter how irrationally afraid he was that an automaton would be waiting there to rip him apart once and for all. Griffin hated being underground or in enclosed spaces, and he was going. Sam wouldn’t be the coward of the group. Besides, Finley would be there, and he wasn’t going to leave his friends alone with her, either. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t the villain he thought her to be, she was still damn dangerous. Anyone who could take him down so easily was worth watching.
The incision on his chest where Emily had cut him open was healed, as though the skin there had never been touched. He pressed the flat of his palm against it, feeling the steady beating below. It felt natural, not like a machine at all.
He’d had what Griff called an epiphany then, when faced with the knowledge that his life could very well end on the floor of the laboratory. At that moment, even though he didn’t like having the metal in him, he realized that it was preferable to death.
Emily had saved his life. Again. How could he ever repay her, especially when he’d been such a total arse to her?
He was fully healed and recovered from the blow Finley delivered. He might not like or trust her, but he had to hand it to her—she could fight. And she was strong. If she proved herself trustworthy, she would prove a valuable person to have around, especially if there was trouble. Emily would be safe with her around, and she could go places with Em that he and Griff and even Jasper couldn’t—or wouldn’t. Emily’s safety meant a lot to him. She was so little and fragile, so delicate.
And yet he seemed to be the one who was always breaking and she was the one putting him back together.
Rubbing his hand absently over his chest, he threw back the covers and climbed out of bed. He bathed and shaved and dressed in a pair of brown trousers, a honey-colored waistcoat and even attempted to tie a decent knot in a cravat, despite that the blasted things made him itch. Finally he gave up, put on his boots and went downstairs to face the others. No point in delaying it any longer.
Clouds had moved in that morning and a light mist filled the afternoon air, making an outdoor meal impossible, so Sam found the three of them in the dining room, about to have luncheon.
There was a place set for him. The sight of it eased his anxiety a little. They couldn’t despise him totally if they would break bread with him.
They hadn’t sat down yet, so they were all gathered around the table, standing by their chairs when he entered the room. Each and every head turned at his entrance and stared at him in silence, waiting.
They certainly weren’t going to make this easy for him, were they? Better to get it over with as quickly as possible then. He walked over to Finley, who looked as uncertain as he felt. At least they had that in common—and the ability to heal quickly given the pallor of the bruises on her face. Griffin, unfortunately, was another story. Sam actually winced when he looked at him.
He offered Finley his hand. “I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday. I