When Rosa had first employed James’s services last year, she had thought nothing of inviting him to take tea with her whenever he delivered orchids to her family’s town house. After all, being an American and an artificer, people didn’t expect Rosa to abide by the usual social etiquettes. She enjoyed the freedom this allowed her, and thought of James as an equal. They both worked for a living, they had made their own fortunes and were both the very best at what they did. She loved hearing about his adventures abroad and discussing orchids with him. In turn, he appeared fascinated by her clockwork creatures and seemed to genuinely understand that Cookie was a real dog, even if he wasn’t made from flesh and bone.

In a world full of small talk and flattery, it sometimes seemed to Rosa that her conversations with James were the only genuine ones she ever had in England. Yet at Beatrice’s wedding she knew at once that the strange yearning she felt towards him was something she must steel herself against. Why, it was nothing more than a girlish crush, after all. James was interesting to her because his occupation meant that he was unlike any other man she had known. He lived a life of danger and adventure, spoke dozens of languages and was rumoured to be an expert shot with a pistol too. But that did not make him suitable husband material.

After recognising the situation last month, the sensible thing would have been to distance herself from James after Beatrice’s wedding. Rosa promised herself she would do exactly that. She would find a new orchid hunter. Yet … she couldn’t quite bear to do so. She told herself that James was the best in the business, but the truth was that she looked forward to his visits more than she cared to admit. And, after all, what harm was there in it? A couple of times a month they took tea together and discussed clockwork creatures and rare orchids. That was all.

And if Rosa felt a certain lightness and warmth infusing her body whenever he was near her, well, that was her secret and no one else need ever know about it. But deep down, she knew that it was more than mere warmth; it was a spark that had set her feelings on fire, and now a flame roared within her whenever James was nearby. She promised herself she was in control, that she absolutely would not get burned.