The Lady Machinist (Curiosity Chronicles Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

with the parchment. “His Majesty will need to study this first.”
    “I have a duplicate, but I’ll need it again before we leave.” Rhys removed a second set of documents from the envelope and gave them to Lydia. Nikolaos stared at the ambassador for a long moment.
    Sabba pushed his chair back. “Lord Abeiron and I will deliberate the agreement amongst ourselves.” He stepped to the end of the long table. Nikolaos drifted after him.
    While they distanced themselves, Lydia perused the document’s ten pages. She was no solicitor, but the language of the agreement was free of discrepancies at first glance. “What will happen if Aspasia refuses the offer?”
    Rhys raised a black eyebrow. “Eight thousand pounds is a very large sum of money to refuse.”
    He didn’t appear anxious and flustered at her challenging question. Instead, he studied her while toying with the edge of the tablecloth, running it between his fingers slowly. “My lady, you seem threatened by me. I’m here to purchase your invention and seek your friendship. Unless you think I’m not suited to have either?”
    Lydia didn’t know what to do with his intimate tone or the peculiar way he looked at her. It didn’t help that she could feel the body heat rising from him due to their shared proximity. “I’ll tell you what I think,” she said in hushed voice. “I don’t want the automatons’ power being misused. I designed them to defend, not go to war and build empires.”
    Rhys looked to her as if the fate of New Britannia’s empire rested solely on her shoulders. “France poses a danger to everyone, including Aspasia. There are agents abroad who operated in the old Napoleon regime. They’re forming new allegiances as we speak. If surrounding nations don’t ally to defend against this threat, then we’ll all be faced with war.”
    “Why should Aspasia favor your country over France? They’ve not harmed us.”
    Light settled into the angles of his jaw. “There is a French industrialist by the name of Monsieur Broussard. COIC reports show that he’s resorting to robber baron tactics, buying lands in foreign countries for thrift and then plundering their resources. He’s also been known to steal inventions before they’re patented, and he has pirates in his employ of smugglers and thieves.”
    Lydia felt the muscles around her mouth lift. “You tacked pirates on at the end as though that would make me latch onto your argument.”
    Rhys showed no humor. “I don’t make light of this man or his supporters. Your automatons are formidable, but it will take scores of them to combat the forces Broussard is capable of putting together. You wouldn’t be able to match his resources without the ability to manufacture on a large scale. New Britannia has that capability.”
    Lydia frowned, perplexed and apprehensive at his words. She sensed there was truth behind this tale of a French criminal mastermind, but how much was relative to Aspasia’s affairs and how much was simply Rhys’ attempts to persuade her of the merits of a signed agreement with New Britannia?
    The king rustled the pages of the agreement as he put them in order. “I will finish reading this tonight. After tomorrow’s demonstration, we will reconvene to sign, if all is satisfactory.”
    Rhys seemed pleased enough. “Of course, Your Majesty.”
    Lydia handed the duplicate agreement back to Rhys. What was going through his mind? Triumph? Satisfaction?
    Sabba returned to his original seat at the table. “Before we adjourn, we should hear a song from Lydia. Have you heard the tambouras played, Ambassador?”
    “I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure.”
    The king indicated for Lydia to pick up her instrument. “If you would honor us. Something light and of good cheer.”
    The exact opposite of how the talks seemed to be going, at least from her perspective. Lydia reached for the tambouras propped against her chair. As she did, her arm brushed against Rhys’ trousers.