Tomorrow, When I Die: A Christmas Adventure

By Karen J. Carlisle

Viola is a widowed optician with a penchant for detectiving. This Victorian Mystery series is set in a steampunk fantasy world and has a gaslamp flavour.

A life is in danger. Is it part of another plot by the mysterious Men in Grey? Viola must find out the truth before it is too late. A knock on the door could change everything.
It's all just a matter of time.

A Viola Stewart Christmas Adventure. This adventure is also published in 'The Illusioneer & Other Tales' (The Adventures of Viola Stewart book 3)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Karen J. Carlisle
• Release date: Aug 15, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370291595

Karen J. Carlisle

Karen J Carlisle is a writer and illustrator of speculative fiction - steampunk, Victorian mystery and fantasy. She graduated in 1986, from Queensland Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Optometry and lives in Adelaide with her family and the ghost of her ancient Devon Rex cat. Karen first fell in love with science fiction when she saw Doctor Who as a four-year old (she can’t remember if she hid behind the couch). This was reinforced when, at the age of twelve, she saw her first Star Destroyer. She started various other long-term affairs with fantasy fiction, (tabletop) role-playing, gardening, historical re-creation and steampunk – in that order. Her first book, Doctor Jack and Other Tales, was published in 2015. She has had articles published in Australian Realms Roleplaying Magazine and Cockatrice (Arts and Sciences magazine). Her short story, An Eye for Detail, was short-listed by the Australian Literature Review in their 2013 Murder/Mystery Short Story Competition. Karen's short story, Hunted, is featured in the Trail of Tales exhibition in the Adelaide Fringe, 2016. She currently writes full-time and can often be found plotting fantastical, piratical or airship adventures. Karen has always loved chocolate - dark preferred - and rarely refuses a cup of tea. She is not keen on the South Australian summers. 

Book preview

THE ADVENTURES OF VIOLA STEWART #4

TOMORROW, WHEN I DIE

By Karen J Carlisle

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2017 Karen J Carlisle

Smashwords Edition | License Notes.

All rights reserved.

This ebook is for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold, reproduced or redistributed or given away to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. 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 favourite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the work of this author.

All characters and events in this publication, other than those clearly in public domain, are fictitious and any resemblance to real places or events or real persons, living or dead, is purely incidental.

Cover Photography and design Copyright Karen J Carlisle 2017

with the exception of Corner Cogs by spiral-0ut.deviantart.com

Internal Artwork Copyright Karen J Carlisle 2014

Thank you for purchasing this e-book.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1: The Chronic Argonauts

Chapter 2: Propositions

Chapter 3: A Chronic Disaster

About Karen J Carlisle

Connect with Karen J Carlisle

Other Tiles by Karen J Carlisle

THE ADVENTURES OF VIOLA STEWART #4

tomorrow, when i die

Chapter 1: The Chronic Argonauts

The midday sun streamed across the kitchen table. Viola plunged the wooden spoon into the pudding bowl, with a satisfying squelch. She licked her lips and stirred the thick mixture.

Bowls clattered behind her. Polly hummed quietly. Viola closed her eye and smiled. It was the same tune her mother used to hum.

Oh, why can't we have Christmas more often? She plopped another sixpence into the mixture.

Polly raised an eyebrow. Isn't one sixpence more traditional?

Sir Archibald will be disappointed if he misses out again this year. Viola inhaled the sweet smell of candied orange peel, currants and brown sugar. She dunked her finger into the concoction and licked her fingertip. A little more nutmeg, I think?

Polly dipped a teaspoon into the spice tin and dusted nutmeg over the fruit mixture. She scooped the pudding onto the cloth, gathered up the corners and knotted them.

Will Doctor Collins will be well enough to join you for Christmas Eve? Polly slipped the parcel onto a wooden dowel and lowered it into a pot of boiling water. It's been weeks since the accident.

He's lucky he didn't shatter the bone, replied Viola. Taking irrational and unnecessary risks. Again. She'd had everything under control until Henry decided she needed rescuing. Her heart ached. He could have died!

Polly frowned.

Sir Archibald has ordered him to rest up until Lady Calthorpe's party, said Viola. He's engineered a contraption to help with manoeuvrability. Shadows across the table faded as grey clouds crept across the sky. Looks like rain.

And the forecast had been for fine weather for the party. Polly sighed. I do hope it doesn't spoil afternoon tea with Doctor Collins.

He'll cope until the festivities tomorrow night. Viola flexed her fingers. He's driving me to distraction. Every afternoon, the same questions. He wants to know every detail about my day.

He is very fond of you, Miss. Polly's cheeks flushed.

Viola gazed out of the kitchen window and tracked the clouds as they blocked the sun. He's worried I'll go off on an adventure without him. Why can't he trust me? She clenched her hands. I suspect he has Sir Archibald keeping watch on me.

Am I not as able as any man? she whispered. Perhaps she should go on an adventure, by herself, just to show him?

Polly cleared her throat. He is fortunate you were there, Miss.

Viola picked up a stray currant from the bench and popped it in her mouth.

I'll only want a light supper tonight, Polly. I think I'll settle in with a good book after I return from afternoon tea.

A new Sherlock Holmes? Polly's eyes lit up.

No, replied Viola. Sir Archibald has promised me something new this afternoon. Doctor Doyle calls it science fantasy. It's a fantastical tale about a man in search of his true time.

A loud pounding echoed down the hall from the front doorway. Viola glanced at the small clock on the wall. Two o'clock.

Are you expecting any visitors, Miss? Polly dusted her floury hands on her apron and yanked it off.

Viola shook her head, arranged her