As they
pulled up to the front door of Daguerre, Caz didn’t know what to expect. She
certainly didn’t expect to see her great aunt, dressed in a modest burgundy
gown with black lace edging, stacking pumpkins on the doorstep with the help of
a maid. There was dirt under her fingernails. Caz grinned and removed her satin
gloves, stuffing them into her pocket before opening the door to the auto.
Grimlee wordlessly brought her carpetbag around as Caz stepped forward. She
took a deep breath of the country air, inhaling the unfamiliar yet alluring
scents of nature.
Dowager
Daguerre straightened, a calculating look in her eye as she smiled at her
great-niece. “Go get the last four, will you, Marla, and then we can see if we
need to buy extra from Shore. Caroline! Welcome to Daguerre.”
“It’s
Caz,” she blurted, and heat immediately rushed to her cheeks as she reached up
to cover her mouth. Had she really just corrected her? “I’m sorry, Dowager.”
Her great
aunt raised a single eyebrow–a feat Caz envied–and said, “What for? I would
never wish to call you by a name you dislike. And as far as names go, you may
call me Elmira. We are flesh and blood, by-golly.”
“I–all
right,” Caz said breathlessly, her cheeks still burning, though she was
secretly pleased. Her aunt was nothing like the stuffy nobles
in Soldark. Her opinion on the upcoming month shifted immediately to
excitement.
“Grimlee,
take her bag to her room, it’s already prepared. That’s all you brought?” she
asked Caz.
“No, my
trunk should be here this afternoon. At least, that’s what my father said.”
“Perfect,”
Elmira said crisply. “Now, I need your opinion on these pumpkins.”
Caz
grinned as her great aunt picked up some wicked-looking shears and sliced off a
few inches of the long stem on one of the bright orange gourds littering the
mansion’s doorstep.
Though
she wasn’t sure she’d find much action worthy of a gripping story she could
write for the Soldark Times, perhaps the season in the country
wouldn’t be so boring after all.
1 comment:
Even if it seems easy, good steampunk is quite rare... I hope this novella is one of the good ones :)
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