The Inventor (The Legend Chronicles) Read Online Free PDF

his sides, arms slightly bent, as if he intended to throw a punch. Marley stood his ground, refusing to budge. Let the oaf do his worst. He’d find a way to make him pay in spades.
    “Don’t go getting ideas about Lady Persephone, little man. She’s mine. And if you get in my way, I’ll squash you. You haven’t the skills it takes to protect her.”
    “I’d say that matter is up to the lady.”
    A deep clearing of the throat from the doorway had them both turning to see Lord Hargrieve staring at them. “Is there a problem, gentlemen?”
    Frobisher’s stance changed immediately. “No, my lord. No problem at all. Just giving our inventor some useful advice.”
    Lord Hargrieve gave Frobisher a pointed look. “He’s not our inventor yet, Lieutenant. We might want to be more cordial to him in the meantime.” The man looked over his shoulder. “Wattly, please show Sir Turlock to my study.”
    “Yes, my lord.” The butler edged around Lord Hargrieve and inclined his head to Marley. “This way, if you please, Sir Turlock.”
     
     
    From the alcove in the great hall, Sephie spied Sir Turlock following Wattly to her father’s study. She’d found pleading a headache or some other sort of feminine ill was the easiest way to extract oneself without too much questioning from a room full of men. There’d been many such occasions in her father’s house, and since her mother’s passing, she’d had to act as his hostess, even in the most tedious of social situations.
    Her hands were still shaking. Overhearing the exchange between Frobisher and Sir Turlock had left her giddy. In her own flights of female fancy she’d imagined that the looks Sir Turlock had given her were more than his approval of her mechanic skills. Now that she knew he might even offer for her, she was beside herself with joy. Not only was Sir Turlock fascinating, he found her passion for machines a wonderful thing rather than trying to quash it as Frobisher and her father did. How marvelous would it be to be one’s self with one’s spouse?
    She held up the adorable little dog he’d brought her, her heart swelling with emotion. She’d been given so few toys as a child, and had never been allowed to have a dog because of her allergies to them, despite her fondest wish to have one. In one fell swoop, Sir Turlock had given her both and made her smile 1eme her sfrom the inside out. But her happiness was drowned out by low and angry voices coming from the parlor where Frobisher and her father argued.
    “He has intentions toward Persephone,” Frobisher ground out. Sephie huffed. He was complaining as if she were his property already. The great oaf.
    “You will not undermine my authority in this, Lieutenant. He is not to be harmed until we have the weapon from him. It could make all the difference in our battle with the Darkin. We need him. Do I make myself clear?”
    “And what if his energy cannon doesn’t do what he thinks it will?”
    “Then that will change matters. But until that time, if he wishes to court Persephone, then I shall allow him to.”
    Anger filled Frobisher’s voice. “And what of our agreement? You promised her to me!”
    “I promised you could court her, Lieutenant, and I’ve made every effort to place her in your presence so that you could convince her of your sincere interest. But you know as well as I do how headstrong she can be.”
    Sephie ducked back behind the edge of the alcove as her father stalked back to his study.
    “Perhaps you ought to beat that stubbornness out of her,” Frobisher muttered as he stamped out of the parlor toward the front door. “I know I would.”
    The front door slammed behind him, and Sephie shuddered and held the little dog closer. She knew the risks her family took. Her father thought Frobisher could protect her from the hideous things they hunted and were in turn hunted by. But Sir Turlock was smart. If he knew the truth, perhaps he could think of ways to protect her that Frobisher