Magnificent Devices 01 - Lady of Devices

members of Rosie’s flock, it is only fitting that we address each other correctly.”
    She mulled this over. “I’m Maggie. Short for Margaret, but ’at takes too long to say.”
    Claire leaned over and offered her hand, and bemused, Maggie shook it. “A pleasure, Miss Maggie. And your sister?”
    “She’s Lizzie. Elizabeth.”
    With a smile, Claire said, “My middle name is Elizabeth. I was named for my grandmother, who was reckoned a great beauty in her day. My mother, as you see, was an optimist.”
    “Lizzie’s a beauty,” Maggie said defensively, as if her sister was not to be outdone by any other Elizabeth in the country, alive or not.
    “She is indeed. She has very striking blue eyes. I hope she has forgiven me for spanking her last night.”
    “Nope.”
    “She did kick me first, and may I say, it was completely unwarranted. I hope her heart may soften toward me in time, if we are to be flock mates as well.”
    Maggie fell silent, watching Rosie fling dirt over herself with great abandon. Then she said, “Why’s she making ’erself all dirty?”
    “She is having a bath. The dirt suffocates any bugs and leaves her feeling shiny and clean when she shakes it out.”
    “’Ow’s a fine lady like you know so much about hens, then?”
    “Polgarth the poultryman taught me when I was as old as you. He was wise in the ways of birds. We have the finest flock in the parish, and every bird in it trusts him with her life.”
    “They’re flock mates, then.”
    “They are indeed.”
    Maggie glanced at her. “Jake don’t trust you. Ent he a flock mate?”
    Claire hesitated. “In some cases it takes time. And I don’t think offering a corn cob to him is going to do the trick.”
    To her surprise, Maggie smiled widely, dimples winking in her dirty cheeks. “’E likes corn. Try it.”
    Claire smiled too, more at the unexpected companionship in the child’s gap-toothed grin than at the image of Jake taking anything from her otherwise than by force or stealth. “I think the price of his trust is substantially higher than corn. I’d have to offer him my pearl necklace at the least.”
    “’Ere, then.” Maggie reached under her combinations and pulled out the double strand of St. Ives pearls. Claire stared at them, pale against the girl’s grubby hand.
    “Take ’em.” Maggie tossed them over, and Claire caught them more by reflex than aim.
    “I don’t understand. I haven’t shown you any chemical formulas yet.”
    “Jake’d just take ’em in the night and pawn ’em if he knew I had ’em. That’s why Snouts didn’t tell ’im. But we’re flock mates, and Jake’s afraid of you.”
    Claire hardly knew which astonishing fact to address first. “Tha—thank you, Maggie. It’s very … commendable of you to return them unasked.” She fastened them round her neck and pushed them beneath the collar of her blouse. “Jake does not strike me as being afraid of anyone.”
    “’E’s afraid of you. He talks a hard streak, but I know. Otherwise he’d’ve knifed you straight out.”
    “Would he?” Claire sat down rather suddenly on the filthy back step. “I must consider myself fortunate, then.” Perhaps it would be best to change the subject. “I must go and send a tube,” she said. “Mr. McTavish will not be back for some time yet. Would you like to come with me?”
    Maggie shook her head. “Rosie and me will stay behind.” Rosie shook out her feathers in a cloud of dust and stalked over to recline upon the ground next to Claire’s dusty kid half-boots.
    “You might take the opportunity to clean her cage and find some fresh bedding, then,” Claire suggested. “Since she has performed her ablutions, she may wish to lay an egg.”
    At the prospect of the imminent arrival of food, Maggie hopped off the wall and went to get the cage. Upon the ground, Rosie blinked in slow contentment. One creature, at least, was perfectly happy in this moment. Claire went in and put on her hat and blue merino jacket, wished fruitlessly for a mirror, and set off.

Chapter 20

    She had never realized with such painful clarity how much she had taken even a shilling for granted. Without such a simple thing, she could not in good conscience take the Underground again to Victoria Station. She could not pay to have a tube sent from the Post Office, so she was forced to consider returning home. But Belgravia was a long walk from the docks.
    Claire set her teeth. Snouts would return victorious. They