Romancing the Inventor

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Romancing the Inventor by Gail Carriger

Imogene Hale is going to work at the Big House with the vampires because her family needs the money, even though her mother thinks vampires are perverted. Imogene hopes they are perverted, maybe they could help her with her predicament. She's not interested in any of the young men in town, or any men, not even handsome werewolves, but at least one of them understands why Imogene has no interest in them. The butcher's sister though... 

Unfortunately, shortly after beginning her work at Woolsey Castle, Countess Nadasdy and all her vampire drones forget about Imogene. While she wants to be wanted, it is nice to not be food. She shares a room with a girl who is not forgotten but cherished by the Countess, and although she is lavished with gifts, she also spends a great deal of time crying. Imogene sends money home and visits when she can, so at least her mother and siblings are a little better off now. 

One day, Imogene is sent by Henry, a footman, to take tea to the potting shed, which is very odd. She learns from Henry that a very important Inventor and drone called Lefoux is working in the potting shed, using it as a laboratory. Imogene has no idea who Lefoux is as she cannot read to learn anything from the newspapers, though she is very good at math. Upon entering the potting shed, there is a lot of cursing in a foreign language and then an explosion. Lefoux knocks Imogene out of the way and then removes a set of protective goggles to reveal everyone's favorite Lady Scientist, Madame Genevieve Lefoux.

Imogene doesn't really know what to do with the tea tray as there is no place to set it in the scientist's laboratory/potting shed. She asks the scientist where to place the tray, calling her ma’am, and is immediately corrected to calling her Madame Lefoux. Learning that the scientist is married upsets Imogene who was immediately enamored with her and her dimples. After tea, Madame Lefoux takes Imogene out for a walk in the garden and the two come to know each other a bit and where they stand in the vampires' household. Imogene is mostly embarrassed the whole time, wondering who is the husband that makes Madame Lefoux Madame, especially when the scientist asks her to be sent back later with lunch enough for two.

When Imogene sees Henry again, he is enraged that Madame Lefoux requested Imogene deliver her lunch. He insists many unnecessarily rude and suggestive things that Imogene must be doing to get the scientist's attention, so she says she will tell the scientist she cannot return again.

When lunchtime rolls around, Madame Lefoux asks for Imogene's help with several tools and then they sit together for lunch. So the person the scientist wanted to share lunch with was Imogene! Madame Lefoux asks about how Imogene came to be in service of the vampires when she could just marry for money if her family needed it so badly, but Imogene changes the subject. If only she'd be honest with herself, she would be paying attention enough to see that Madame Lefoux also prefers the company of women. She says it in not so many words many times during their meal. When Madame Lefoux asks Imogene to come back again with tea and lunches, she says she cannot, though not explaining it is because of Henry. Madame Lefoux knows though.

Henry is miffed when Madame Lefoux requests Imogene continue to deliver her tea and lunch. For some reason, probably because he's a dick, he sees fit to aggressively and painfully pinch Imogene's backside multiple times. She doesn't do anything in retaliation. Her visits continue and sometimes Madame Lefoux is busy and cold with Imogene and other times she asks for help. One time, on one of the non-helpful times, Imogene notices a mathematical miscalculation on the scientist's board and rather than speak up, she quietly corrects the mistake. 

Imogene goes home on her Sunday off to find that her mother is unwell, but not seriously, maybe just for attention, and her siblings are fine. Her mother is pleased that Imogene is not interesting to the vampires. When she returns to the hive, it's to find Madame Lefoux in a temper, questioning all the musicians for tampering with her mathematics. Imogene finally speaks up and tells the scientist it was she who corrected the equation. Rather than be upset, Madame Lefoux is delighted! With the correction, she was able to successfully complete part of her project. She wants Imogene to assist her and will speak to one of the vampires, Dr. Caedes, to make the request. 

Dr. Caedes, naked under his open robe, insists that Madame Lefoux just wants to seduce Imogene and that she should seek assistance from a strapping young blond college lad with big ... teeth ... instead, or even just a footman. Madame Lefoux doesn't want a college lad who probably has his own agenda or a bumbling footman, she wants Imogene because she's calm and quiet. She does not mention the complex mathematics that Imogene can do in her head for some reason, not even when Dr. Caedes brings up the point that Imogene can't even read. He denies Madame Lefoux's request.

Madame Lefoux believes that Dr. Caedes wants Imogene now and suggests she barricade her door at night, so she does. When Henry finds out that Madame Lefoux’s request to have Imogene as her assistant, he is of course terrible and hurts her multiple times. Luckily Madame Lefoux notices her injuries and tends to them, which makes Imogene swoony, but then Madame Lefoux pulls away. When Imogene goes back to her room for the night, she learns that she must continue to work for the evening as the vampires are having guests. And then, the werewolves come.

Okay, so not just the werewolves. And it's not that menacing. Yet. Alexia and Conall and Channing Channing of the Chesterfield Channings come to visit. Imogene recognizes Channing Channing of the Chesterfield Channings as the handsome werewolf who hit on her before she came to work for the vampires, but as she is only the help, he does not recognize her now. He is the lowest in social standing at this event and to Imogene it seems that he is being mocked, which bothers her because he was the handsome werewolf who realized that she doesn't care for men and wasn't horrible to her because of it. 

Throughout the evening, Madame Lefoux is overly touchy and flirty with Alexia and Alexia flirts right back. Imogene does not know anything about Alexia or anything that took place in The Parasol Protectorate because she can't read, so presumably she has not read any of the delightful works of Ms. Gail. After some hors d'oeuvres, the vampires and werewolves and whatever Alexia's title as Muhjah means, are to enjoy dinner and Imogene assumes she's to go back to her regular duties for the evening, but then, one of the lady drones approaches her, offering her a lovely dress to wear. Imogene is shocked to learn that she will be attending dinner! Oh no, she will be dinner. Ah, there's the menacing we were expecting.

Madame Lefoux stops Countess Nadasdy from eating Imogene for dinner when Imogene clearly looks horrified and appalled at being eaten, nevermind that she also never agreed to be. Alexia, as Muhjah, and Conall, as Chief Sundowner, agree that Countess Nadasdy cannot eat her servants. Madame Lefoux offers to buy Imogene’s indenture because she knows that the countess is just trying to eat Imogene to punish her. Luckily Alexia assists because Madame Lefoux, as an indenture herself, cannot purchase Imogene’s indenture. Imogene questions how long Madame Lefoux has to spend with the hive and requests that her indenture now to Alexia be the same amount of time, six years. Countess Nadasdy is annoyed, but with Alpha Werewolf Chief Sundowner Conall there witnessing the verbal contract, there is nothing she can legally do. 

Out in the hallway after all this talk of indenture, Imogene finally plucks up the courage to kiss Madame Lefoux, but is rebuffed, Madame Lefoux thinking that Imogene is just grateful for not being eaten and confused. Imogene obviously knows that Madame Lefoux prefers women and must think this is how she expects to be repaid. Imogene has lost her courage and does not tell the Inventor that she also prefers the company of women, unfortunately. Madame Lefoux sends Imogene to pack her things and asks her to return to her personal room inside the estate. Imogene is elated just thinking about being in the bedroom where Madame Lefoux sleeps, but instead of doing as she's told, she sneaks out in her maid uniform to eavesdrop. While eavesdropping, Imogene finds out that Alexia knows her inclinations and that Madame Lefoux likes the little black dresses that maids wear and that she doesn't want to get hurt again. She also learns that Madame Lefoux thinks she's just in some way feeling romantically/sexually indebted to her.

Imogene moves into Madame Lefoux’s room in the hive house and really takes to her new mathematical work and solving for X, though she’d like to be taken by Madame Lefoux for a good Rodgering, or is it called Gertruding when women do it? Unfortunately she doesn't find out because Madame Lefoux leaves to visit her son Quesnel in London for a week or so. Imogene's old job of delivering lunch and tea to the potting shed laboratory returns to Henry and he lets Imogene know how upset he is about this by physically and sexually assaulting her at every turn, and then he begins stealing, first a copper tube and then notes. Imogene tries to report this to the butler and even to the Queen, but she is dismissed as being too stupid to keep up with her responsibilities by the butler and is sexually assaulted by the Queen. Imogene learns from the Queen that she should take up her issues with her patron, Alexia, but before she can do that, Imogene runs to Madame Lefoux's room and hides under her duvet.

Imogene wakes the next morning to Madame Lefoux gently touching her face. Madame Lefoux insists that Imogene explain why she is so battered and bruised, and so she explains everything about Henry always assaulting her and then stealing notes and tools and the Queen trying to have her way with her. Madame Lefoux is very upset and demands a bath be brought up for Imogene. When Henry arrives assisting in carrying the bathtub, she violently grabs his crotch, hopefully destroying his testicles, and fires him. Luckily everything he took from her was fake or unnecessary as she assumed he was a spy for other scientists for a long time. 

Testicles decimated and Imogene currently safe, Madame Lefoux helps her bathe and tells her how she came to be indentured to the Queen and the Woolsey Hive. Then she insists on calling Alexia and sending Imogene to stay with her in London to keep her safe. Imogene does not want to go because she obviously wants to stay with Madame Lefoux, and she tells her that, but not the actual reason why. Two months pass in safety with Imogene and Madame Lefoux working together. There are slight touches and lingering looks, but nothing more, that is, until Countess Nadasdy attacks again. 

The attack this time is not violent, but the vampire queen does corner Imogene one evening as she is going back to the room she shares with the inventor. She is quite nasty to Imogene, telling her that Madame Lefoux is not herself anymore and questioning if they need assistance in their romance. Imogene is obviously upset by this as they do not have a romance and tells the queen no, then goes into their room. Madame Lefoux, startled and upset at the countess for saying such bullying things to innocent Imogene and still believing that Imogene only pretends affection for her for rescuing her, leaves the bath and is naked right in front of her. Imogene finally plucks up the courage to tell Madame Lefoux that she likes women, has only ever liked women, does not just like her for rescuing her, and kisses her full on the mouth. 

The kiss between the two lingers and becomes more passionate and then moves to the bed. Madame Lefoux tells Imogene they can only have this one night together and they use most of it pleasuring each other thoroughly, solving for X in a different way, wink. In the morning, Imogene learns why Madame Lefoux is so distant and will only give her that one night of passion. She tells her the story of her true love, Angelique, and everything that happened between them, how Angelique loved the idea of immortality more than her and that she died. Imogene is sure there must be a little love left over for her, but Madame Lefoux is insistent that Imogene deserves more than what she can give. They both dig into their work after this, though Imogene still longs for more. 

Some time passes and Countess Nadasdy insists that Madame Lefoux and Imogene join her one evening. Imogene questions this because Madame Lefoux has been doing great work, they've been publishing papers together successfully and things are going relatively well. Unfortunately, the Countess has discovered a new patent for a Sundowner bullet that Madame Lefoux had been working on published by another inventor. Obviously that is some of the information that Henry stole, but the Countess accuses Imogene of theft and sabotage and poisoning Madame Lefoux, which is just ridiculous, and then sentences her to be eaten by her fellow vampires. It's really absurd. And then, the werewolves come. 

This time it is more menacing. Alexia demands the Countess cannot punish her indenture, especially when she has no real evidence of any wrongdoing. This obviously makes the vampire queen angry, but she can't fight against the Muhjah and the head of BUR. Alexia insists that Imogene must return with her to London, which upsets Madame Lefoux. She didn't want Imogene taken away when she sent word to Alexia to come help after being summoned by the Countess, but it really will be for the best. 

Not much time passes, but while Imogene is staying in the pack house with Alexia, she comes to develop a sibling-like relationship with Channing Channing of the Chesterfield Channings and gets many new dresses and hats from Biffy. She also gets a cute caravan to live in near enough for her to walk to the potting shed laboratory and continue her work with Madame Lefoux. Alexia questions whether Imogene loves Madame Lefoux and she says she does, but she doesn't think Madame Lefoux loves her back enough. She knows she loves her a little, but because of Angelique, she thinks she will never be enough. Alexia assists Imogene with her wooing of the scientist by giving her a bottle of Cognac and telling Imogene that Madame Lefoux really does have feelings for her, and the Cognac will help.

When Imogene moves into her caravan and returns to work with Madame Lefoux, the scientist is elated. She very clearly missed Imogene, and not just her ability to mathematically solve for X, but also her ability to solve for X in the winky way. Imogene invites Madame Lefoux to visit her caravan and they come together again, finally, Madame Lefoux eventually moving in with her. They have finally, finally solved their equation. X=2. Awwwwww…