Ultimate Nyssa Glass, H. Burke [cat reading book .TXT] 📗

out of my chair like a hermit crab looking for a new shell whenever I want something on the floor.

The delivery man brought in the last of the three crates. Ellis tossed him a coin. “Thanks and have a Merry Christmas.”

“You too, sir.”

As soon as he was alone, Ellis slid himself to the floor and reached for the box. He picked it up. Empty.

“Blast it.” He felt about the floorboards. His fingers hit upon a few old screws and some scattered clockwork, but no necklace. His elbow bumped his chair, and it rolled backward with an ominous crunch.

Ellis’s heart leapt to his throat. He pivoted. There beneath the right wheel gleamed a silver chain. He eased it out, but the damage had been done. The delicate petals were crushed and the pearl had cracked down the center.

“Damnit.”

Gripping the edge of the desk, he swung himself upward, back into the chair. He laid the pendant upon the workbench and examined it with a magnification lens. At his touch, petals fell onto the desk.

Not now. This can’t happen now. After what I said, if I don’t have a present for Nyss, she’ll think I’ve given up on us. Can I fix it? I could buy another … will they have another?

With a pair of tweezers, he gently pried the crushed petals away from the ruined pearl. With a little bit of adjustment, it almost looked like a closed bud rather than a smashed bloom … almost. I’ve ruined everything I’ve touched today.

Closing his eyes, Ellis prayed. “Dear God, don’t let me hurt Nyssa any more than I already have. Give me a chance to fix this. This is our first Christmas, and I wanted it to be one she’d remember forever … for the right reasons.”

In his mind, a vision bloomed, literally, a flower unfurling in the morning light, petals opening to the sun. He gazed down at the jewelry. They always kept some silver and gold leaf for repairs on watches and other decorative pieces … that and some extremely fine clockwork …

Ellis grinned, slipped on his magnification goggles and got to work.

Chapter Eight

Nyssa stepped off the trolley and stared down the street towards Henri’s studio. Half her brain screamed at her to turn and leave. Ellis didn’t like Henri. While she still felt Ellis should trust her, their fight and his suspicions still lingered like a storm cloud around her.

A long, elegant steam car rolled around the corner and pulled to a stop beside Nyssa. A driver in a black chauffeur’s cap leapt out and waved.

“Wait, miss!”

Nyssa raised her eyebrows but stopped. She recognized that car.

The driver opened the back door, and Amara beckoned. “I heard you and Henri had some sort of disagreement. Is everything all right?”

“Yes … no … sort of.” Nyssa swallowed. She came closer.

Amara scooted over and patted the seat beside her. Nyssa glanced at the clocktower above the nearby bank. She had a few minutes. She settled beside Amara on the shiny leather upholstery.

“So? The juicy details? Was Henri too scandalously charming for your stoic tastes?” Amara batted her eyes.

Nyssa snorted. “Hardly. No … Ellis figured out I was sneaking off to meet with a man, but not why, and he got a little upset.”

Amara laid her hand upon her breast. “Oh, he’s jealous? How adorable! You should play that up, keep him on his toes. The lovemaking when you put him out of his misery, trust me, it’s worth it. Never let a man take you for granted.” She fussed with her hair. “I always flirt with other men when Renard is in the room. Then later he’ll prove that I’m his in the most intense way.”

“No, I don’t want to do that. It’s not funny to me, Amara. The look in Ellis’s eyes was just awful. I hurt him.” Nyssa hung her head.

“Oh, you poor thing.” Amara squeezed her arm. “Don’t worry. Once you tell him what you were up to and why, all will be forgiven.”

“Hopefully.” Nyssa glanced out the door, more convinced than ever she should run back to Ellis’s arms and forget the whole thing. “I really should get going, though.”

“Wait. I didn’t just intercept you for a chat. This is for you.” Amara passed Nyssa a bundle wrapped in shiny, silver paper. “Merry Christmas.”

Nyssa flushed. “Oh Amara, I didn’t get you anything.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Amara waved her hand. “You wouldn’t be able to afford anything I want.”

Nyssa bit her bottom lip. True, but not exactly tactful. “Thank you. Should I open it now?”

“No, hurry to your lesson. I know I didn’t have to get you a gift, but I’ve seen your wardrobe, and Ellis deserves to dance with a princess, not a spinster.”

Sparks and shocks, Amara and her blasted clothes. Nyssa drew a deep breath. She means well, Nyssa. Be grateful. “Thank you.”

She tucked the gift into her satchel and rose from the car. After she’d waved good-bye and the car had eased into traffic, Nyssa hurried to her lesson.

The clockwork ballerina smiled down at her with mocking eyes. Nyssa pushed through the door.

The reception room was empty. No sign of the haughty receptionist, but the door to the hallway sat open, and music drifted out to meet her. A faint whiff of smoke tickled her nose.

Following the song of the player piano, she stepped through the open door to the studio and blinked. Candlelight danced in the corners of the room. Someone had placed a small table with a crystal vase filled with roses in the center of the dance floor. Beside the vase stood a bucket with a green-glass bottle sticking out of the top.

“What in the world?” She turned to bolt from the room and found Henri grinning at her, his body blocking her only exit. She narrowed her eyes. “What is this?”Was Ellis right? Is he trying to seduce me?

“A dress rehearsal, if you will.” He strode forward. Instead of his previous clothing, he wore a tailcoat and gleaming leather shoes.