CHAPTER 11 #2
Cordelia smoothed her skirts, taking some time to marshal her thoughts.
“As you know, there are a number of players in the game. I was aware of Maudslay’s experiments, and it doesn’t surprise me to hear that the government is also working on a new type of marine propulsion system,” she answered.
“And given the success that the Americans are having with commercial steamboats on their rivers, it stands to reason that their inventors are also seeking to conquer the oceans.”
A pause, which lasted several heartbeats. “But Taviot told Kit that his consortium is about to make a momentous announcement, one that will virtually guarantee their success.”
Charlotte was trying to follow her friend’s line of thought. “Are you saying that you don’t think it is true?”
“No, that’s not precisely what I’m saying,” answered Cordelia, which only served to make the conversation even more confusing.
She fixed her friend with a searching stare, waiting for her to explain.
“Kit and I agree that an oceangoing marine propulsion system will be invented. It’s simply a matter of time,” continued her friend. “A brilliant mind, with access to the latest advances in science and technology, will eventually see the solution to the challenges . . .”
Cordelia blew out her cheeks. “It’s also true that Reginald Maitland, the engineering wizard who is Taviot’s head of technology and a partner in the consortium, has been working in America with the leading steam engine innovators for the last five years.
So it’s possible that he has made some momentous breakthrough in technology. But . . .”
Her friend took a moment to smooth a wrinkle from her skirts. “But while Kit seems to think Taviot and his consortium are worthy of investment, I have a very bad feeling about the venture. I have . . .”
She drew in a ragged breath. “I have heard some very unsettling things about Taviot’s family history.”
Charlotte sat back in surprise. It wasn’t at all like Cordelia to let nasty rumors and innuendo cloud her judgment. Her own father’s disreputable behavior had cast her brother in a dark light and nearly gotten him convicted of a very serious crime.
“I think most families have members who don’t reflect well on them,” she replied. “Look at me. I was considered a black sheep among a flock of pristine white reputations.” She allowed a small pause. “And look at Kit. His father was convinced that he was a bad seed.”
“I concede that my reaction is illogical,” said Cordelia, though disapproval remained writ plain on her face. “I’m well aware that a tale may be colored by a purely personal reason, like jealousy or spite.”
“Now you have piqued my curiosity,” responded Charlotte. “What rattling of skeletons has caught your ear?”
“I would rather not say, so as to avoid further poisoning your thinking.” Her friend rose abruptly. “Why don’t we go listen to Lady Kirkwall’s presentation and then see what your opinion is?”
* * *
“Now that we are finally alone, I need to tell you about my visit to Mr. Hedley’s laboratory,” announced Peregrine as he took a seat on the schoolroom rug and beckoned for Raven and Hawk to join him.
After watching the military maneuvers at the Horse Guards parade ground, they had joined the dowager for supper at her townhouse and had just returned to the privacy of their eyrie.
“Let me guess—you learned how to add a gear-and-spring movement to your mechanical hound.” Raven flopped down beside him. “So that it can outrace Harper to the platter of ginger biscuits, ha, ha, ha!”
“No, it’s something far more important than my hound.
” Peregrine glanced around to make sure the door was firmly shut.
“It has to do with building an oceangoing steamship.” Seeing that he now had their full attention, he hurriedly added, “What with the arson at Maudslay’s laboratory and the incident at the King’s Dockyard, we suspect that Lord Wrexford and m’lady think some dark mischief is going on among the inventors trying to make the first workable prototype, right? ”
Raven and Hawk nodded.
“Well, I happened to hear something suspicious—”
“Were you eavesdropping?” demanded Raven.
“Well, um, yes,” admitted Peregrine. “Though not deliberately,” he added hastily, “And not on Lord Wrexford or m’lady.”
“Good,” said Hawk solemnly. “That’s only allowed in the most dire of circumstances—”
“Let’s leave parsing through the moral implications for later,” cut in Raven. “Tell us what you heard, Falcon.”
“I asked Mr. Hedley some questions about marine propulsion systems, and he gave me a book to look at . . .” Peregrine then recounted what he had inadvertently overheard in the reading room.
Hawk scrunched his face in thought. “There’s something I still don’t understand. There are steam-powered boats navigating the waters here in Britain . . . so why is the idea of ocean travel considered so revolutionary?”
Raven, who was much more interested in the nuances of mechanical devices than his brother, made a rude sound. “Steamboats can travel up and down rivers and canals, but the open sea is too demanding on the current paddle wheel designs. They are vulnerable to breaking apart in storms and high waves.”
“Then if it’s not possible—” began Hawk.
“We didn’t say it wasn’t possible,” corrected Peregrine. “It’s just that as Mr. Hedley pointed out, nobody has yet figured out a workable design.”
“However, you think the gentlemen you overheard are claiming to have done so, but that it’s a lie—”
They all started at a sudden sound outside the door. However, it was followed by a low woof, which made them all relax.
“Don’t startle us like that when we are having a Fledgling council of war,” chided Hawk as he rose and let Harper into the room.
The hound circled a spot on the rug and flopped down with a canine sigh after seeing no platter of biscuits on the floor.
“I don’t know if it’s a lie,” said Peregrine in answer to Hawk’s question. “I just had a bad feeling about the conversation.” He frowned. “The man with the baritone voice had a very oily laugh.”
“M’lady believes that you should listen to your intuition,” pointed out Hawk.
“Oiy, but Wrex says it’s also important to have facts, not just feelings,” countered Raven.
“Well, the fact is, as I left the reading room, I saw the two gentlemen talking with Mr. Hedley in the corridor, and it turns out that Baritone Voice is Lord Taviot!” said Peregrine. “And he’s the head of one of the groups that is involved in the race to building an oceangoing steamship.”
“You’re getting very good at sleuthing, Falcon.” Fixing his brother with an expectant look, Hawk asked, “You think that Lord Taviot is behind all the dark mischief?”
“It’s possible.” Raven made a face. “But rather than keep chewing over this ourselves . . .”
Harper pricked up his ears at the word chewing.
Raven looked at Peregrine. “I say that come morning, we go and tell Wrex and m’lady exactly what you overheard and let them decide what to do about it.”
Hawk looked a little surprised. “So we do nothing?”
“Though it pains me to say it, yes, we do nothing.” Raven let out a low huff.
“For now.” He hesitated. “Wrex seems awfully unsettled about Mr. Greeley’s murder, and I get the feeling that m’lady is holding something back from us about the visit to the King’s Dockyard.
So until we learn more, we need to be very careful. ”
Peregrine scrunched his face in thought. “But how will we learn more if we’re being very careful?”
“As to that, I have a few ideas. But until I’m ready to share them, what we need to do is keep our eyes open,” answered Raven. “And our ears.”