Ah, the sweet naïvety of blind love! ‘The love of my life keeps no secrets from me!’ was something Jacob’s customers professed right before discovering adultery. Revelations like this made Jacob feel superior, for he considered himself resistant to the whims of love, and hence heartbreak. No woman ...

“Well… I hope it soothes you to know that a maid graces these premises with her presence at least once a week,” sensing Nathaniel’s squeamishness, Jacob tried to mitigate the damage. The man of his size disliking spiders — how silly was that, really? It was hurtful to know that Nathaniel didn’t ...

Nathaniel was smiling! He was smiling, and the playful glimmer that Jacob found so appealing appeared in his eyes again.

“Yes! Let’s test ourselves and abstain together!” Jacob concurred with a fiery enthusiasm. He was already rising from his chair, ready to fly up the stairs, when a cloud passed ...

In retrospect, Jacob should have listened to his gut. Going down Whitechapel Road was a disastrous idea. What person with any substantial coin to their name would choose to live in Whitechapel?

Mrs Coulter wasn’t on the list of his favourite customers. She was unrefined, called his methods ‘beastly ...

Nathaniel had an exceptional talent in leaving Jacob at a loss for words. His solemn look and a dry tone surely didn’t help. In moments like this, it was almost impossible to tell whether he was jesting. It took Jacob too long to recover — but then he did, he was ready for a rematch.

“You are a ...

No amount of magic trickery could prepare Jacob for how forward Nathaniel would turn out to be. It was the easiest reading in his life and also a bit ironic: even a man from the Mirrorside wanted one of two things — money or love. Jacob didn’t have to think long over a reply: “You might not need to ...

The apology took Jacob by surprise. Perking up at such an unexpected turn of events, he joined Nathaniel at the table and caught his eye.
“Both of us were not at our best that day. I didn’t mean to offend you. I am truly sorry for that,” he confessed, taking Nathaniel's hands into his. For a brief ...

The second day after Nathaniel Blackwood left the shop forever was the hardest. On the first day, Jacob was too agitated and tired to worry about what transpired then. He locked the door, slumped on the floor and sat there, among cobwebs and dust for a long time before he could drag himself upstairs ...

No medicine that might have turned into the poison. No laudanum, also; however, Ms Jones did medicate herself with wine and the like. “Does she tend to… overindulge?” Jacob inquired delicately. But when presented with a small demonstration from Mr de la Cruz, Jacob felt an echo of a faraway panic ...

Nathaniel’s words burned like a whiplash. Jacob winced. Blood hammered into his temples; his heart was pumping in his throat. The volcano was erupting again. With his booming voice, immense height and strong fingers that could easily crush someone’s windpipe, raging Nathaniel was a terrifying ...