When the sun sets more than once a day and the world's diamonds are stolen, a small brave girl, struggling to belong, has secrets to discover.
Marigold leaves her lonely life to join extraordinary thieves, Bert and Bob. Who is their Mistress? What i...
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Before retreating behind the back of the barrel, Marigold had heard Lady Artifice tell Bert and Bob to return to work. Bert had been rooted to the spot as he stared in confusion at his mistress. Marigold knew it was too much for him to take in. Bob and Jet had tugged at his trousers to pull him towards the door.
'Not bad for 189!' Lady Artifice had said with a laugh.
From her position, Marigold could no longer see Jet. But she imagined he must have paused at the door and nodded towards the light escaping from the Crusher.
'But look at state o' that heap of old junk', he'd said.
'A little leakage is inevitable with power of such magnitude', the woman had replied.
'A little!' Jet had scoffed.
'Get out!' she'd ordered.
Now all was quiet in the attic. Marigold peeped around the barrel.
Lady Artifice was stroking her arms through the black silk of her sleeves. She glanced down at her body.
'I must check the rejuvenation is a success everywhere', she said to herself. With the joy of a small child, she skipped out of the room.
Marigold felt the heat of the steam before she saw it rise around her. Again, it was coming from the pipe she was sitting on. She sprang to her feet. She could only bear the heat passing through the soles of her ankle boots for a few seconds. She leapt across thin air to the roof of the glass cabinet. It was too shiny for her feet to grip.She slid off it and landed on an enormous moving cog. She tried to keep her balance on its greasy ridges. But once more she was falling towards the spikes of the plunger and the gleaming jaws. She screamed...
Something was wrapping itself around her back and legs. It was the arms of a man with a face younger than the white of his wild hair.
Whatnot!
She struggled to be free from him. He let her jump to the floor. Her copper hair flopped forward.
'A rosebud', he said.
'What?'
'The mark on your neck.' He stepped closer to her and raised his hand towards the back of her neck.
She quickly dodged out of his reach.
'I know what you did to Daffodil's baby', she told him. 'But you and that woman won't kill me!'
Whatnot's face paled. His frightened eyes avoided her gaze.
Does that mean I'm right?
Her stomach churned. She stepped further away from him.
From outside the door came the clipping sound of heels on wood. Lady Artifice was approaching. Marigold hurried to hide behind the Crusher. To her alarm, Whatnot followed her. Uneasy as he stood behind her, she glanced around the side of the machine.
