Free Steam Guardians 01 - A Lady Can Never Be Too Curious by Mary Wine

sound, and the key grated in the lock. Only the matron remained, and she reached out to pull the satchel from Janette’s hands.
    Janette didn’t try to hold on to it. She was too distracted by the contents of the room. All around her she heard the rhythmic hum of Deep Earth Crystals. There were tables set up with different crystals on them. No table held more than one, and all of them were placed on copper plates. The look in the doctor’s eyes had blossomed into full anticipation, and it sickened her because she could see that she was nothing more than another specimen for him to use in his quest for knowledge.
    “You will show me exactly what sort of Pure Spirit you are.”
    ***
    Sophia Stevenson covered her mouth and tried not to retch. Horror clogged her throat and threatened to make her lose her breakfast.
    “Miss Sophia? We can’t be staying here. Your father wouldn’t approve. I shouldn’t have allowed you to instruct me to follow your friend’s carriage, for now we’re in a poor section of town. We shouldn’t be here.”
    Her driver sounded almost panicked, and she couldn’t blame the man for losing his nerve. No one ventured into that section of town without good reason.
    “Yes, let’s go.”
    Her driver wasted no time in letting the horses have their freedom. He put the team into motion so quickly she fell back into the seat, but she didn’t care.
    How could she sniffle about being jostled inside her carriage when her dearest friend was being locked away inside an insane asylum?
    The driver slowed his pace as they neared her father’s shop. Sophia found the last few minutes in the carriage almost unbearable. She was twitching with the need to do something, anything to help Janette. But even when she stood in the back room of her father’s shop where she and Janette had laughed so recently, she couldn’t decide what action to take. What could she do?
    Women had few rights, and Janette’s father could insist on treatment if he had a doctor to testify that she needed attention. Sophia felt her temper spike. Janette had even fewer rights than a thief because she hadn’t actually broken any law and wouldn’t be given a trial before being locked away. Why hadn’t Sophia noticed just how unfair the law was in regard to women? The suffragette cause suddenly took on a new appeal.
    Well, she was going to help her friend. Sophia paced in a circle and then several more as she tried to concoct a plan of action.
    “What is the matter, Sophia?” her sister demanded from the doorway.
    “Nothing, Cora. Go and help Father.”
    Her sister stiffened. “Nothing, is it? You sound like an Irish jig dancer pacing about. Don’t tell me nothing is bothering you. Why are you back so soon, anyway? I thought you were off to visit with Janette.”
    Sophia failed to hide the horror from her sister. Cora abandoned her harsh expression and hurried toward her so they might whisper. “What happened?”
    “Janette’s father sent her to…a clinic.”
    Cora paled. “We shall have to think of some way…to help her…” Cora’s voice became softer as she fought back tears.
    But it was the hopelessness in her tone that spurred Sophia into action.
    “Don’t you dare cry. We will not accept this…action from her father, do you understand? I refuse to weep for Janette because we cannot think of any way to help her.”
    Cora drew in a stiff breath. “I don’t like it any more than you do, but I can’t think of anyone who can help us. The law favors her father in every way. No constable will listen to us, and she doesn’t have a fiancé to battle on her behalf.”
    “Oh, Cora, you are perfect to think of such a thing!”
    Sophia hurried to the wardrobe and pulled it open. She had to force herself to move slowly so that her father wouldn’t come to investigate the amount of noise she made. Sophia put on the cycling outfit without hesitation.
    Cora frowned as she watched her sister button up the jacket. “What are you