Steampunk Carnival (Steam World Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

trail it left along her finger, she put her gloves on over it. “Can’t be too careful now.”
    Her husband raised his eyebrows at Katya, holding up her jacket and gloves. Katya gestured to the food stall. “Would you mind leaving them at the stall for me? I’ll pick them up when I’m clean.”
    The grateful couple drifted away, and Katya returned her attention to her hands. She cringed in disbelief, trying to shake off some of the clinging residue. On top of the pile, in the packed garbage Katya had dredged up from the deep, rested a stained, cloth-covered notebook. Katya glanced around, but everyone near the food stall was focused on its numerous treats. They were either speaking with Magdalene or reading the priced menu supported above her. Katya took a soiled finger and flipped the notebook open to a random page. She could hardly believe what she saw, not just a drawing of the Warden wheel, but a technical one. Numbers marked the penciled lines, and other figures had been added in black ink. Katya closed the notebook and carried it with her, being careful to hold it close without brushing it against her dress.
    Katya picked her way across the grounds, excusing herself as she hurried around slow-moving patrons. A door to one of the water closets swung open. A young lady stepped out, and Katya quickly claimed it behind her. She latched the door and turned to the white porcelain pedestal sink. A small pump hung above it on the wall, and a bar of soap sat waiting in its tray beside it. Katya ignored them both and spread the notebook open across the front edge of the sink. She turned page after page, her dark eyes scanning the detailed drawings, moving swiftly through the excess of information. She had never seen anything like it. She flipped back to the first page, but no one had written a name or a date there.
    “It must be Mr. Warden’s,” Katya murmured. She unrolled a long stream of toilet paper and wrapped it carefully around the notebook. Katya set the mummified blueprints on the toilet seat and began pumping water over her greasy hands. She rubbed her forearms with soap until the oil loosened and left her skin moist but clean. She looked the notebook over while she dried herself, wondering where she could hide it until she could show it to Magdalene. She thought of trying to hide it behind the toilet where none of the patrons would want to touch it, but she did not want to risk the charwoman throwing it out.
    Katya stuffed the notebook under her arm and let herself out of the water closet. With her usual air of professionalism, she nodded politely to the patrons as she passed them, crossing the back of the grounds to the food stall. She walked around to the rear of it, where the Englishman was popping corn in an iron skillet of shining oil.
    “Did a man give you my things?” she asked.
    The Englishman nodded.
    “Can you pass them to me, please?”
    The Englishman ducked down briefly and extended Katya’s belongings over the counter.
    Katya offered her thanks and turned away from him, knowing he was already focused on the popping corn instead of her. She unfolded her jacket and tucked the notebook into the shoulder of one sleeve, pressing it in snugly. She folded her jacket up and raised it to the Englishman. “I’ve changed my mind. It’s such a warm night, and it reeks like garbage. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”
    The Englishman lifted the jacket from Katya’s hand and set it out of sight. His haggard features betrayed the slightest furrow of annoyance. Katya fitted her gloves on and followed the side of the stall toward the endless sea of patrons. She glanced up in time to see Irina shaking her head at her. Katya gave her the cold shoulder and wove herself into the crowd.

Chapter Six
     
    Unlike the night Mr. Warden flared his temper, Katya followed Magdalene’s renewed suggestion to wait for her at the front gate. She held her jacket in front of her as she walked, the notebook still disguised