The House on Gemini Square

By Coleen Kwan

In Victorian London an unexpected death brings Lady Arabella Fitzwilliam into contact with her jilted fiancé. Alastor Arronax does not believe his uncle’s death was an accident. His enquiries lead him to clash with the beautiful Lady Arabella until they find themselves both trapped in a house that has become as monstrous as its owner.

16,000 words. Steampunk romance novella.

Includes a bonus steampunk short story Eye of the Beholder

• Language: English
• Publisher: Coleen Kwan
• Release date: Sep 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311563712

Coleen Kwan

Coleen Kwan has been a bookworm all her life. At school English was her favourite subject, but for some reason she decided on a career in IT. After many years of programming, she wondered what else there was in life — and discovered writing. She loves writing contemporary romance and steampunk romance.Coleen lives in Sydney, Australia with her partner and two children. When she isn’t writing she enjoys avoiding housework, eating chocolate, and watching Criminal Minds.

Book preview

The House On Gemini Square

by

Coleen Kwan

(plus bonus short story Eye of the Beholder)

Copyright 2014 Coleen Kwan

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2014 by Coleen Kwan

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in any form or by any means.

Smashwords Edition, Licence Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Cover design © 2014 Coleen Kwan

Cover photo © Conrado / Bigstock.com, © Stillfx / Bigstock.com

The House on Gemini Square

In Victorian London an unexpected death brings Lady Arabella Fitzwilliam into contact with her jilted fiancé. Alastor Arronax does not believe his uncle’s death was an accident. His enquiries lead him to clash with the beautiful Lady Arabella until they find themselves both trapped in a house that has become as monstrous as its owner.

The House on Gemini Square originally appeared in the anthology Moonlit Encounters published by TWC Press.

This edition includes a bonus steampunk short story Eye of the Beholder.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Eye of the Beholder

About the Author

Other Books by Coleen Kwan

Chapter One

London, 1881

He returned when they least expected it on a filthy London afternoon. Lady Arabella Fitzwilliam was sitting with her recently widowed godmother, Mrs Theophilus, in the Theophilus’s sitting room, when the butler announced they had a visitor, and Alastor Arronax strode in, bringing with him the chilliness of the fog and a whiff of spices from his travels abroad.

My dear aunt! Arms outstretched, he advanced on Mrs Theophilus. My deepest condolences. I can scarcely believe my beloved uncle has passed away.

At the mention of Professor Theophilus, his widow burst into fresh tears as Arronax folded her into a consoling embrace. Over the lady’s black lace cap, his eyes met Arabella’s, and despite her self-control she experienced the most unwelcome fluttering in her breast. Releasing his aunt, he turned to Arabella and gave her a short, formal bow.

Lady Arabella, he said without any warmth. Would that we could meet in happier circumstances.

She’d forgotten how wintry his pale grey eyes could be. Today they appeared to hold a special coldness for her, as though he couldn’t imagine anything happy in connection with her.

She returned his bow with just the correct amount of punctiliousness. Mr Arronax. We did not expect you back in London so soon.

Why, what is the meaning of such stilted formalities! Mrs Theophilus cried, waving them to the settees. Lady Arabella? Mr Arronax? When you are such close friends? I will not have it, I say.

Mrs Theophilus was inclined to overstep the boundaries of etiquette, but she was a kind soul, and the Professor had been Arabella’s guardian, godfather and tutor. Besides, Mrs Theophilus knew nothing of the special ‘closeness’ Arabella and her nephew had shared, and never would, if Arabella had anything to do with it. She lifted her chin and directed her words to Arronax. You’re right, Mrs Theophilus. We shouldn’t be so formal at a time like this. It is just that Alastor and I haven’t seen each other in a while.

Arronax’s expression remained inscrutable. A year or thereabouts, is it not, Arabella?

Fourteen months, to be precise. Fourteen months since she had gone back on her word and refused to marry him after all. Not long enough to forget the icy disdain that had frosted his eyes the last time they’d parted company. They’d kept the abortive interlude secret from almost everyone, and when Arronax had abruptly left on government business abroad, Arabella had imagined it would be years before she had to encounter him again, but the untimely death of the Professor had changed all that.

But how did you arrive here so quickly? Mrs Theophilus continued to fuss over her nephew, plying him with tea and cake from the tray brought in by the butler. We dispatched the telegram only three weeks ago and thought it would take you more than two months to get back from Peshawar.

I travelled to Lahore and then caught an airship back to London.

An airship! His aunt shuddered. What is wrong with trains and boats? I cannot understand this newfangled mode of transport.

How such an ill-matched pair as Professor Theophilus and his wife could have