CHAPTER 15
Longinus awoke late. As he stepped outside his chamber, he winced at the sound of Cruikshank hammering something. He must have been tired to have slept through that.
“Good morning, Cruikshank,” he called on reaching the ground.
The machinist grunted and nodded at him in reply before swinging her large hammer again. Longinus looked around the workshop for Rory.
“Where’s Rory?” he asked loudly, once it was obvious the girl wasn’t there.
Cruikshank paused in her hammering. “She’s gone to the mansion.”
“Oh.” Without me? “What for?”
“Something about money and clothing for that Black Orchid place.”
“Oh, right.”
Longinus did his best to keep his face neutral. It was odd that Rory hadn’t come to him. Odd, and disquieting. He’d have expected to be the first person she turned to
