The Strange Case of Finley Jayne

The Strange Case of Finley Jayne
Kady Cross

Finley Jayne knows she's not 'normal'.Normal girls don't lose time, or have something inside them that makes them capable of remarkably violent things. Her behaviour has already cost her one job, so when she's offered the lofty position of companion to Phoebe, a debutante recently engaged to Lord Vincent, she accepts, despite having no experience.Lord Vincent is a man of science with his automatons and inventions, but Finley is suspicious of his motives where Phoebe is concerned. She will do anything to protect her new friend, but what she discovers is even more monstrous than anything she could have imagined… An ebook exclusive prequel to The Steampunk Chronicles.

Praise for Kady Cross’s Steampunk Chronicles

“…perfect for the beach, and I’m desperately hoping that

someone will adapt it for television.”

—Kirkus reviews

“A steampunk mystery with a delicious love triangle and

entertaining Jekyll and Hyde element.”

—RT Book Reviews

“If you are looking for a wonderfully fun romp through

an alternate history set in England with technology

and romance strewn throughout, try

The Girl in the Steel Corset.”

—Diana Chen, School Library Journal blog

“Finley is such a strong female lead. She stands up

for herself…She’s fierce and intelligent and gets

to wear a cool steel corset!”

—TwoGirlsandaNovel blog

“Wow. Fantastic Steampunk novel with everything you can imagine.”

—Lov Liv Life Reviews blog

“The Girl in the Steel Corset is an elegantly

written and entrancing mystery…”

—Fiktshun blog

Also available from Kady Cross and

The Steampunk Chronicles (in reading order) THE STRANGE CASE OF FINLEY JAYNE THE GIRL IN THE STEEL CORSET THE GIRL IN THE CLOCKWORK COLLAR Visit www.miraink.co.uk for more information or find us on Twitter @MIRAInk

The Strange Case of

Finley Jayne

Kady Cross

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

THE GIRL IN THE STEEL CORSET

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CHAPTER ONE

London, The Age of Invention, late April 1897

“You’re the very spawn of Satan and I’ll not have you darken this door ever again.”

Finley Jayne jumped as the door was slammed in her face, leaving her standing alone in the small, damp flagstone square that acted as the servants’ entrance to the town house.

She’d been fired—well and good—by Mrs. Brown, the housekeeper. Normally being called the spawn of Satan would upset Finley, but lately she’d begun to wonder if the sentiment wasn’t true. This was, after all, the second job she’d been let go from.

At least the old crone could have let her collect her things.

Just like in a stage-comedy, the back door opened once more and Finley’s carpetbag sailed out of the dim interior. She caught it before it could strike her in the face.

“Oy!,” she cried, but the door slammed shut again—and this time Mrs. Brown locked it from the inside. She heard the tumblers fall into place as the bitter old woman turned the wheel engaging the mechanism which could only be opened once again by a punch card.

Mrs. Brown had taken Finley’s punch card from her room before firing her.

Of all the bloody rotten luck. Tossed out without a reference for something that wasn’t even her fault. She hadn’t been the one to slap young master Fenton hard enough to make him cry when he tried to take a fourth biscuit from the tea tray. That had been the governess—Miss Clarke—who had a particular habit of striking small children.