Madame Cristobel, unmoving and mysterious, an automaton who has sat in the shadows for a generation, observes the human drama in the antiquarian shop where she remains a curiosity. No one has yet unlocked her secrets. For Francesca Wadsworth, purveyor of fine curiosities, Madame Cristobel is a silent partner, though one who seems to urge her to escape, seek adventure, and find her place in the world. Nathaniel Endicott has already seen the world and...