The Steampunk Detective Read Online Free PDF Page A

formed a relationship with another woman and may have not told you for fear of hurting your feelings. They may have argued – possibly violently. It has been written that Hell has no fury like a woman scorned. Possibly he feared for your safety, hence the new locks on the doors.”
    “All the more reason to fear for his absence,” Scarlet said. “Oh please Mr Doyle. Please help me. The police have given no assistance at all.”
    “I will help you,” Mr Doyle bowed his head. “We will journey to your home today.”
    “Oh thank you,” Scarlet said. “Thank you.”
    Mr Doyle turned to Jack. “Can you pack a small bag for yourself in case we are gone overnight. I already have one ready. We will meet on the balcony in five minutes.”
    “On the balcony?”
    Mr Doyle did not answer him. He had already left to speak to Gloria about rearranging his diary. Jack gave Scarlet a quick nod and hurried to his room. Packing his bag only took a moment. He threw on a long dark green coat and picked up a pair of goggles from the top of the chest of drawers.
    These are cracking good , he thought. Very stylish.
    Looking through them experimentally, he discovered a small sliding switch on the side that made it possible to magnify things at close distance. Now that he thought about it, Mr Doyle’s goggles had a similar control. He returned the goggles to their normal setting and jammed them on his head.
    Catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror, he thought he looked rather spiffy.
    A moment later he exited and started towards the reception room. He stopped himself. Had the detective really mentioned the balcony? Perhaps it was a slip of the tongue. He found Scarlet leaning on the railing looking out at the city.
    “It’s a beautiful view from here,” Jack said, desperate to make conversation. In his entire life he had never spoken to a girl as beautiful as Scarlet. In fact, he had never even envisioned a girl as beautiful as Scarlet could even exist. She made the girls back at the orphanage look like hedgehogs and walruses.
    “It is, indeed,” Scarlet said. “Have you been Mr Doyle’s assistant for long?”
    “Er, no, not very long,” Jack stammered. “Lovely day out here. Might be some rain later.”
    “And what exactly do you do for Mr Doyle?”
    Jack didn’t want to say he had only worked for the detective for less than a day. “Just assist him, you know, general like.”
    “I see.”
    Mr Doyle made his appearance at that moment. “Just this way, thank you.”
    He started climbing up an iron ladder to the roof of the building. Jack had not noticed it before. Scarlet went next, so Jack was the last to stand upright on the roof to see Mr Doyle’s surprise.
    An airship.
    “You have your own airship,” Jack said, in wonder.
    “Not many people have their own airship,” Scarlet said, looking impressed.
    “She’s called the Lion’s Mane. A gift from a grateful client,” Mr Doyle explained. “It was a case involving a murder and an octopus and a –. Well, never mind. Shall we board?”
    The vessel measured some thirty feet in length and about half that across. The main balloon was silver in colour. The gondola was red and gold. A stylised profile of a lion decorated the bow. The vessel rolled slightly as they entered the main compartment of the vessel.
    It was two chambers. A glass dividing wall separated the living room from the engine room and bridge.
    I’m in heaven , Jack thought. He felt like he was walking on air. He had never travelled on an airship before. Covering his mouth, he hoped Scarlet didn’t notice the expression on his face – he felt like he was grinning like a loon.
    If the other kids at the orphanage could see me now –!
    Ignatius Doyle pushed a few buttons on the main control panel. “I started the boiler earlier, so this shouldn’t take very long.” He fiddled with the controls. A small shot of steam spat out from the side of the vessel. A dial on the board wavered in the