Dec22016

3 Finishing School Deleted Scenes from Gail Carriger

In honor of the full Finishing School series now being available in trade paperback, and collected ebooks, (there is no boxed set, sorry) I present unto you, Gentle Reader…

Finishing School Deleted Scenes

Please be aware that deleted scenes may (and often do) contain spoilers. Read at your own risk.

Hidden Passages

Despite Lady Linette’s reluctance to talk, Sophronia pressed her. “I had thought the ceiling of the dining hall was too high. How is there room?”
“The aft section is larger than the two forward sections. ”
“It is? I hadn’t noticed.”
“Observation, Miss Temminnick, what have I told you?”
“It is the greatest friend you can have, but betrays easily, and if neglected, may get a girl killed.”
“And you, Miss Plumleigh-Teignmott, did you notice?” Lady Linette turned cornflower blue eyes on Dimity, her expression one of such innocence both girls became suspicious.
Dimity’s own hazel eyes were worried. “Perspective is difficult, from the ground. Neither of us have ever seen the school straight on. And I am not as inquisitive as Sophronia, by nature.”
“You have avoided the question, Mis Plumleigh-Teignmott. What have I told you about redirection?”
“Ask a question. People love to talk about themselves.”
“So, why have you not noticed the differential lay out?”
“Architecture has never been my strong point. How about you, Lady Linette?”
“A clumsy attempt. What is your strong point?” Sophronia thought her teacher was being needlessly tough on Dimity, who was very good at only half of the school’s training – the everyday half. Dimity wanted to become a proper lady, not an intelligencer.
Dimity gave her teacher a cheeky smile and a long blink of the eyelashes.
“Yes, yes. You’re right, that is your strength.”
Lady Linette continued walking, her pace faster even though her stride never lengthened and she glided smoothly.

ace-artemis-fanartist FInishing School Gang

Tether Snap Discussion with Niall

Sophronia, tired from her earlier fight with the thugs, was off enough during practice for Captain Niall to notice.
The third time she tripped and fell, he pulled her aside. “Is something wrong, Miss Temminnick?” His handsome face was concerned.
“I’m just a little tired today, Captain. I do apologize.”
“Everyone has their off days Miss Temminnick, even you. Are you certain there’s nothing else the matter?”
Sophronia remembered what Sidheag had said, about the werewolves not liking the idea of vampires extending their reach. Perhaps Captain Niall would know and tell her the answer to that niggling question Professor Braithwope kept avoiding. Only one way to find out. “I have been wondering captain, what happens if a supernatural creature snaps his tether?”
The good captain looked startled and then took a moment to shout a correction at one of the girls. By the time he returned his attention to her, he was composed. “Well, Miss Temminnick ghost dissanimate and go into second death. Effectively they would be exorcised. And werewolves, well, our tether is to pack. Loners like me, who have no pack, tend to go a bit funny about the brain after a while.”
Sophronia tilted her head in encouragement.
The werewolf laughed. “I’ve a good while to go yet. And I could always join a pack to gain stability.”
Sophronia pretend interest in the antics of her fellow classmates, asking oh so casually, “And vampires?”
Captain Niall said, equally casually. “Most of them don’t survive. It’s not pleasant way to go, death by insanity.” He looked ironically up at the quarter moon. “I suppose you could say that they know for a bit what it’s like to be a moon-mad-like a werewolf.”
“And the ones that do survive?” Sophronia knew she was pushing her luck, but she desperately wanted to know. Felt like she needed to know.
“You know those legends about vampires, the ones from before, the ones from the Dark Ages? Monsters feeding on thousands and bathing in blood? Some of them are invented, many of them are exaggerations to keep daylight folk afraid. But not all of them. And the ones that are true, well, they feature vampires who survived snapped tethers. Far better to die.”
No wonder Professor Braithwope doesn’t want to talk about it. Sophronia said, casually, “Professor Braithwope risks much, living in a floating school.” Every day the possibility that he might fall not to his death, but to madness and destruction. No wonder so few vampires chose a dirigible as a home.
The werewolf looked at her, sharply, something like respect in his tone, “You have no idea, Miss Temminnick.”

FInsihing School Cosplay Sophronia Dimity Vieve

FInsihing School Cosplay Sophronia Dimity Vieve

Sophronia Being Secretive

Dimity shook her honey brown curls. “You’re incorrigible, Sophronia. You’re out most nights about some secretive business or another. Don’t you ever sleep? What about beauty rest? It’s all very well to be an intelligencer, but you can’t let the other side of our education drop. You still have to be a lady! And pretty. Not that you aren’t pretty.”
Sophronia patted her hand. “Don’t worry about me.”
She went out that night, dressed once more in men’s garb. It was so much easier, and if she was seen from a distance the visiting Bunson’s boys would be blamed. So it made for a good diversionary tactic as well.
Unfortunately, though she skulked about various teacher’s balconies with her ear trumpet until well into the wee hours, she heard nothing, and could not even find where the fortune teller had been put to stay. It was a dismal failure.
There was one incident. She caught Professor Lefoux checking in on Professor Braithwope. Before the insanity incident, Sophronia would never have thought they were on friendly terms. Professor Lefoux didn’t seem to be friendly with anyone. But now it was common knowledge that Professor Lefoux was the vampires drone. If if he was mad, he still needed to feed.

Mrs Barnicalegoose

Mrs Barnicalegoose

More Fun Stuff!

Praise

Motive by Tanya says of Etiquette & Espionage: “What I like about Sophronia is she is not just book smart. She has common sense and she isn’t drawn into herself. She is friendly and really nice girl. Overall just a very likable character.”

The Peach Martini says of Etiquette & Espionage: “I would recommend this if you enjoyed the Parasol Protectorate series, and I LOVE that you aren’t required to read that before starting this series. There is action, adventure, covert shenanigans…and a few paranormal beings sprinkled in for good measure.”

Mrs Temminneck Tea

Mrs Temminneck Tea

mrstemminnecktea2-copy

Randomly Yours, Alex says of Curtsies & Conspiracies: “I continue to be fascinated by the development of this world that Carriger initially developed for the Alexia books. And of course I remain desperately keen to find out how this series will intersect with the earlier one.”

Powder & Page says of Curtsies & Conspiracies: “The Finishing School books are immensely fun to read; the characters are bright and lively and I often find myself laughing aloud at their antics.”

Mrs Barnaclegoose

Mrs Barnaclegoose

Candace’s Book Blog says of Waistcoats & Weaponry: “ … does have some serious events that take place in it. That’s okay though, the author does a fantastic job in including serious bits in amongst what is mainly a fun read.”

Sophronia Fna Art Fall

Sophronia Fna Art Fall

{Gail’s monthly read along for November is Romancing the Inventor by Gail Carriger. Oh don’t look so shocked.}

OUT NOW

Romancing the Inventor

Romancing the Inventor: A Supernatural Society Novella

A steampunk lesbian romance featuring a maid bent on seducing a brilliant cross-dressing scientist who’s too brokenhearted to notice. Or is she?

GAIL’S DAILY DOSE

 

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