Iphigenia and the Showman

By Aubrey McKnight

In Victorian London, a beautiful but penniless illusionist finds herself and her dreams at the delicious mercy of an emotionally haunted theater owner.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
• Release date: Jun 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781941260258

Book preview

IPHIGENIA AND THE SHOWMAN

A Ladies of the Abberly Theater Romance

Aubrey McKnight

Copyright 2014 Kimberly Cannon

Smashwords Edition

IPHIGENIA AND THE SHOWMAN

In Victorian London, a beautiful but penniless illusionist finds herself and her dreams at the delicious mercy of an emotionally haunted theater owner.

IPHIGENIA AND THE SHOWMAN

A Ladies of the Abberly Theater Romance

Aubrey McKnight

www.BOROUGHSPUBLISHINGGROUP.com

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, business establishments or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Boroughs Publishing Group does not have any control over and does not assume responsibility for author or third-party websites, blogs or critiques or their content.

IPHIGENIA AND THE SHOWMAN

Copyright © 2014 Kimberly Cannon

All rights reserved. Unless specifically noted, no part of this publication may be reproduced, scanned, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Boroughs Publishing Group. The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or by any other means without the permission of Boroughs Publishing Group is illegal and punishable by law. Participation in the piracy of copyrighted materials violates the author’s rights.

Digital edition created by Maureen Cutajar

www.gopublished.com

ISBN 978-1-941260-25-8

For my mom and dad. (I know you’re up there watching, Daddy.)

Thanks for raising me to believe I can do anything if I just set my mind to it.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to my critique partner, Lark, for cheering me on and slogging through endless Messenger sessions. To my sister-in-law, Kim (aka Kate Willoughby), for all the plotting texts and the extra pushes when I needed them. Special thanks to my editor, Jill Limber, for thinking the title of this story was intriguing enough to pull it from the slush pile. And especially to my husband, Aaron, for his patience, understanding, and willingness to do housework and entertain the kid while I park myself in front of my laptop and create.

CONTENTS

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Author Bio

IPHIGENIA AND THE SHOWMAN

Chapter One

Abberly Theater, London

August 29, 1892

Iphigenia Martin watched from the wings as her father, legendary magician Robert Martin, the Great Al-Ghazari, gestured toward an ornate chair his assistant rolled from backstage. Now I’ll transport myself from this simple stick of furniture to the great beyond.

Her father sat in the specially crafted chair and glanced back at Iphigenia with a brief smile and a wink. She crossed her fingers and returned his smile.

Vena, her Iphigenia’s father’s assistant, lifted a velvet blanket over his head. A small, rounded cup of leather hinged to the chair held the shape of a body beneath the heavy fabric, offering the illusion that he still sat in the chair. Instead, Robert lifted the chair’s seat and scrambled through a trap door then through another spring-loaded door cut into the stage. From there he could make his way through the catacombs, around the lobby to the back of the auditorium.

Vena whipped off the blanket, revealing an empty chair. Audible gasps were followed by thunderous applause. Men half-stood from their chairs, attempting to ascertain Iphigenia’s father’s whereabouts. The few women in attendance began fanning themselves furiously with their programs.

Any moment now, her father would sneak into the auditorium and jog forward to the stage, raise his hands in victory and take a deep bow.

Any moment now.

Any. Moment. Now.

The audience became so silent, Iphigenia could hear her pulse pounding in her