Waistcoats & Weaponry Read Online Free PDF

fanning. An hour or so later, he shuffled them all back up the staircase. Sophronia, Agatha, and Dimity were the last up, only to find that Sidheag was waiting patiently at the top.
    She was wearing an expression of such unhappiness, they all knew instantly that something was horribly wrong.

M ISSING S IDHEAGS AND M ISAPPLIED S EDUCTION
    A gatha ran the last few steps to the Scottish girl and placed an arm about her waist, squeezing her close. The redhead’s round face was puckered in concern.
    Sidheag certainly looked in need of that supporting arm. For the first time, Sophronia thought of her friend as willowy and frail, rather than tall and gawky.
    “My dear, what has happened?” Dimity demanded, bracing herself as if against a physical blow, her tiny fists clenched.
    “Who needs to be killed?” Sophronia asked, trying to lighten the mood but also feeling quite murderous at the very idea that anyone might cause her unflappable friend such pain.
    Sidheag dismissed both their offers of support and Agatha’s arm. “I can’t… it’s not… I just…” Her amber eyes caught the moonlight as she looked past them. “Captain Niall, please wait! Could you spare a moment to talk? Please?”
    The werewolf was preparing to retreat behind a whortleberry bush to change forms and dash off into the night hunting rabbits, or something equally small and fuzzy.
    Instead, he approached the base of the staircase, shading his eyes against the glare of the well-lit ship. He sniffed, not in hauteur, but like an animal tasting the air.
    “Lady Kingair, what’s wrong?” He sniffed again. His voice changed, becoming rough and gravelly. “What has happened?”
    Sidheag moved away from her friends. “I must talk to the captain. Only he can help.”
    They let her go, reluctantly.
    Sidheag stumbled as she climbed down, falling the last few steps.
    Captain Niall caught her easily, supernatural strength barely troubled by her weight.
    Once in his arms, she folded in on herself, broken.
    The werewolf said something to her, so low the girls watching could not hear. Then he set her back on her feet. They were matched in height. Lady Linette would say that they’d dance well together. Except that Sidheag was a terrible dancer.
    Sidheag raised her head, saying something soft in reply. Captain Niall responded with a gentle squeeze to the arm. Overcome once more, Sidheag crumpled, shoulders heaving. The werewolf whisked her off, his supernatural speed used in sympathy for once, into the darkness of the moor and away from prying eyes.
    Sophronia, Dimity, and Agatha were left once again without their friend, alone at the top of the stairs. At least Sidheag’sbehavior had not been observed. The shame of it, to show weakness and then affection, with a teacher!
    Dimity’s hand was pressed to her mouth, her eyes widened against sympathetic tears. Agatha looked almost as shaky as Sidheag, so that Sophronia slipped an arm about her waist. They stood like that for a long time until a polite cough caught Sophronia’s attention.
    “Miss, we need to crank up the stair.”
    Sophronia turned to find Soap, standing shipside.
    He looked about to crack one of his customary cheeky smiles. But the moment he saw her expression, he schooled his own and flitted over to join them. “What in all aether’s happened? Sophronia, are you hurt?” Usually he was punctiliously formal. They must look truly upset for him to call Sophronia by name.
    “We don’t know.” A great deal of frustration colored Sophronia’s voice.
    Soap’s eyes bored into hers, as if they were alone. “Not you?” His gaze flicked to her bandaged arm.
    Sophronia shook her head. “No, I’m well. Just a little scrape with a fan. It’s Sidheag.”
    Dimity tugged at her sleeve. “I’m sure this is a private matter! Hush.”
    “Soap is her friend, too.”
    Dimity bit her lip, uncomfortable with sharing anything that had so traumatized Sidheag with an underling, or a boy, or an outsider.