Page 11 of An Inventor and An Inconvenience (Gentleman Scholars #5)

T he pre-dawn air bit through Jasper's coat as he made final adjustments to his mining device. The past week had been a blur of divided attention — mornings in his laboratory struggling with mechanical failures, afternoons helping Faith search old building records for clues to the hidden chambers. His father's disapproving letter still lay unopened in his desk drawer.

"Is everything ready?" Faith's whispered question made him turn.

She emerged from the shadows wearing what appeared to be boy's clothing — practical trousers and a workman's shirt under a heavy coat, her hair tucked beneath a cap. The sight made his breath catch.

"Almost," he said, reluctantly covering his device.

He'd hoped to test it today, but Faith's discovery of new architectural plans couldn't wait.

"Though I still think you should let me go alone. If anyone recognizes you—"

"We've been through this." She cut him off, adjusting the satchel that held her mother's journal and their notes. "I'm coming. These are my mother's research notes, after all."

He couldn't argue with that. Faith's mother's careful documentation of Oxford's architectural oddities had proven invaluable in mapping potential locations of hidden chambers. Still, the protective instinct that had been growing stronger each day made him want to shield her from whatever dangers they might face.

"Your father knows where you are?" he asked, though they'd been over this as well.

"He thinks I'm attending an early morning lecture." Her slight smile held a touch of irony. "Which, in a way, I am. Just not quite the kind he's imagining."

Before Jasper could respond, the sound of carriage wheels on the road made them both freeze. They pressed back against the wall of his laboratory as the vehicle passed by — a handsome curricle that seemed out of place at this hour.

"Did you see who that was?" Faith whispered once it had passed.

Jasper nodded grimly. "Professor Reynolds from Cambridge. What's he doing here at this hour?"

"He's been asking questions about the old library wing. One of father's colleagues mentioned it yesterday."

Jasper swore under his breath. Of course, others would be pursuing similar clues. They'd been foolish to think they were the only ones who could decode the messages left behind.

"We need to hurry," he said, gathering their materials. "If Reynolds is investigating, others won't be far behind."

The journey to the old library wing felt interminable, though in reality it took less than thirty minutes. They avoided the main paths where they might be seen, taking rarely-used corridors Faith had discovered during her years of secret study.

"The renovations in the 1500s changed this entire section," Faith whispered, consulting her mother's journal. "But look here — the original wall thickness doesn't match the current plans. Mother thought there might be sealed passages behind the newer construction."

Jasper studied the wall she indicated, his engineer's mind automatically calculating load-bearing requirements and structural possibilities. At least his education was useful for something, even if it wasn't the mining innovations that would finally catch his father’s attention.

"If there is a space back there," he said slowly, "we'll need to be extremely careful about how we access it. One wrong move could bring down centuries of accumulated debris."

"I've been thinking about that," Faith said, pulling out a set of architectural drawings. "Mother noted several ventilation shafts that were supposedly sealed. But if we could locate their original openings—"

A noise from the corridor made them both freeze. Faith quickly tucked the papers away as footsteps approached.

"...must be here somewhere." Professor Reynolds' cultured tones were unmistakable. "These building plans show clear discrepancies."

"But sir," another voice responded, "if these chambers exist, surely they would have been found during renovations?"

"Not if someone wanted them to remain hidden. The question is, who else knows about them? I've heard rumours of a certain professor's daughter showing unusual interest in architectural history..."

Jasper felt Faith tense beside him. He squeezed her hand in the darkness, as much to keep himself from confronting Reynolds as to reassure her.

The voices and footsteps passed their hiding place without pause. Only when the sound had completely faded did Jasper dare to move.

"We should split up," Faith whispered. "I know where to look for the ventilation shaft entrance. You need to get back to your laboratory — isn't your father's steward coming to review your progress today?"

Jasper's stomach clenched. He'd almost forgotten about the appointment.

"I can't leave you here alone with Reynolds prowling about."

"I've spent years avoiding notice in these halls," Faith reminded him. "I'll be fine. Your father's approval matters, Jasper. You shouldn't risk losing it over this."

Her understanding only made it worse. Here she was, supporting his goals even while pursuing her own, while he felt torn between helping her and pursuing his invention. If he could just make the mining device work, prove to his father that his education hadn't been wasted...

"Wait," he said, an idea forming. "What about Meredith? She's working in the library today, isn't she?"

Faith brightened at the suggestion. "Yes, cataloguing in the east wing. She could join me—her presence wouldn't raise suspicions."

"I'll find her on my way out," Jasper offered, relieved to have found a compromise. "With both of you working together, you'll likely make twice the progress anyway."

"And she knows every corner of the library better than anyone," Faith added. "If Reynolds appears, she'll spot him before he sees us."

"Two hours," Jasper said, his concern easing but not disappearing entirely. "If I haven't heard from you by then, I'm coming back regardless."

Faith nodded, already consulting her mother's journal. "Good luck with the steward."

As Jasper departed, he made a quick detour through the east wing, where he found Meredith organizing a cart of recently returned volumes. After a brief explanation, she readily agreed to join Faith, her eyes lighting with scholarly excitement at the prospect of examining the hidden architectural references.

With Meredith enlisted as both research partner and lookout, Jasper finally allowed himself to leave, though his thoughts remained divided between his impending meeting and the dangerous search taking place in Oxford's oldest corridors.

~~~~

In his laboratory, Jasper couldn't focus. His hands moved mechanically over his device, making adjustments he'd tried a dozen times before, but his mind kept straying to Faith.

Was she safe? Had Reynolds found her? The mixture of concern for her and frustration with his own project made his movements clumsy.

"Lord Jasper."

He turned to find Thompson, his father's under-butler, hovering in the doorway. "I told the maid I would announce myself, she directed me to this space.”

The haughty servant’s view of his temporary quarters was not left to be speculated about. Jasper’s amusement tempered his disappointment over the man’s next words. “The steward sends his regrets. He's been delayed in London on urgent business for the Marquess."

Relief and disappointment warred in Jasper's chest. Another chance to prove himself postponed, but at least now he could return to help Faith. Why had they even bothered to send anyone? Surely a note would have sufficed.

Frustration dogged Jasper’s steps even as he searched for Faith.

He found her exactly where she said she'd be, crouched behind a stack of ancient texts in a forgotten corner of the library's oldest section. Her cap had slipped, revealing a strand of dark hair, and her cheeks were flushed with excitement.

"Jasper, look at this!" She held up a weathered document. "It's a builder's receipt from 1523. They ordered far more stone than they needed for the visible walls. Mother was right — there must be hidden chambers."

Her enthusiasm was infectious, despite his lingering worry over the delayed meeting with his father's steward. "Show me what you've found."

They spent the next hour piecing together evidence — construction records, architectural oddities, references in old letters. Faith's mind made connections he would never have seen, while his engineering knowledge helped them understand which walls might conceivably hide spaces large enough for book storage.

"The structural support would have to be substantial," he mused, examining one of Faith's mother's sketches. "Even if they reinforced it during construction, after all this time..."

"That's why finding the proper access point is crucial," Faith said. She bit her lip, glancing at him. "How did things go with the steward?"

"He didn't come." Jasper tried to keep the bitterness from his voice. "Apparently my father had more important matters for him to attend to."

Faith touched his arm gently. "I'm sorry. I know how much you wanted to show him your progress."

"Progress?" Jasper laughed harshly. "The device still isn't working properly. Perhaps Father's right — perhaps I'm wasting my time here."

"Stop that," Faith said firmly. "Your invention could save lives, make dangerous work safer. That's worth pursuing, whether your father sees it or not."

She squeezed his arm. "Just as these books are worth finding, whether Oxford ever acknowledges my part in it or not."

Her words struck home. They were both fighting different battles against Society's expectations — she to be recognized as a scholar despite her gender, he to prove that nobility and scientific pursuit weren't mutually exclusive.

Before he could respond, a shadow fell across their workspace. They looked up to find Professor Reynolds standing over them, a cold smile on his face.

"How fascinating," he said smoothly. "Lord Jasper Linford and Miss Somerton, pouring over old building records. One might wonder what a mining engineer and a professor's daughter find so interesting about medieval architecture."

Jasper felt Faith tense beside him. He shifted slightly, casually covering her mother's journal with his sleeve.

"Structural integrity studies," he said evenly. "Given my interest in mining safety, I've been researching historical building techniques. Miss Somerton has been kind enough to assist with translations."

"Indeed?" Reynolds raised an eyebrow. "How... collaborative of you both. Though I wonder what the Marquess would think of his son spending his time on such academic pursuits."

The threat was clear — not just to their research, but to Jasper's already tenuous relationship with his father. But before the professor could continue, another voice joined the conversation.

"I imagine," Professor Somerton said, emerging from behind a bookshelf, "that he'd think much the same as I do about my daughter's interest in architecture — that the pursuit of knowledge takes many forms, and we do ourselves a disservice by trying to restrict it."

Reynolds' confident smile faltered slightly. "Ah, Professor Somerton. I wasn't aware you were... supervising this research."

"Supervising?" Professor Somerton's tone was mild, but his eyes were sharp. "Hardly necessary. Lord Jasper's engineering expertise and my daughter's facility with historical documents make them quite capable of conducting their own studies."

Faith stared at her father in amazement. Never had he so openly acknowledged her scholarly abilities.

"Of course," Reynolds said smoothly, "but surely such young researchers would benefit from more... experienced guidance. I, myself, have been studying Oxford's architectural history for many years..."

"Then you'll be pleased to know that Lady Beaverbrook has already agreed to sponsor an official architectural survey," Professor Somerton said. "All findings will be properly documented and shared with the academic community, of course."

Reynolds' face tightened. Without noble sponsorship of his own, he could hardly protest. "How... fortunate. I look forward to reading the results." He gave a stiff bow and retreated.

Once he was gone, Faith turned to her father. "Lady Beaverbrook hasn't actually..."

"Not yet," Professor Somerton said with a slight smile. "But given your friendship with her, I suspect she'd be amenable to the idea. Particularly if you were to write to her today."

Jasper watched this exchange with a mixture of admiration and envy. Here was a father not only accepting his child's intellectual pursuits but actively helping to protect them. Would his own father ever show such support?

"Lord Jasper." Professor Somerton turned to him. "I understand my rather dramatic entrance interrupted your explanation of structural integrity studies. Perhaps you'd care to continue that discussion over dinner? I'd be quite interested in hearing how historical building techniques might inform modern mining safety."

The invitation was clear — not just to dinner, but to create a legitimate cover for their research. Jasper felt a warmth he hadn't expected. "Thank you, sir. I would be honoured."

"Excellent. Though first," Professor Somerton's eyes twinkled, "perhaps you both might care to explain why you're prowling the library so late in the afternoon? In future, I suggest keeping to more conventional hours. Less suspicious, you understand."

Faith laughed, the tension of the morning finally breaking. "Yes, Father."

As they gathered their materials, Jasper noticed Faith's mother's journal had slipped partially from its hiding place. He carefully handed it back to her, their fingers brushing. The touch sent a jolt through him that had nothing to do with their research.

"Jasper," Faith said softly. "Your appointment with the steward — could it be rescheduled?"

He nodded. "Thompson said he'd send word once they return from London."

"Good. Because I think..." She glanced at her father, who had become very interested in examining the nearest bookshelf.

"I think I may have found something that could help with your device. Not in these documents," she added quickly, "but in some of Father's engineering texts. Would you... would you let me show you?"

The earnest offer of help, coming just when he'd felt most discouraged about his invention, touched him deeply. "I would like that very much."

Professor Somerton cleared his throat. "Perhaps such consultations could wait until after supper? I believe Cook is expecting us, and one should never disappoint Cook."

As they walked back through the morning-lit corridors, Jasper felt something shift inside him. His father's approval still mattered — of course it did — but somehow it didn't feel quite so desperately important.

Here he had found something he hadn't even known he was looking for: people who understood that innovation and tradition, engineering and scholarship, could coexist. People who saw value in pushing boundaries and asking questions.

Faith walked beside him, already discussing possible applications of historical building techniques to modern mining problems. Her enthusiasm was infectious, her insights unexpected and clever. His mining device might not be working yet, but for the first time in weeks, Jasper felt truly hopeful about its future.

"You're already late for your first class," Professor Somerton informed his daughter dryly.

Faith's eyes widened in mock horror. "How shocking. A lady, missing her embroidery lesson? Whatever shall we do?"

"Arithmetic," her father corrected. "I believe you were meant to be studying arithmetic this morning."

"Ah, but Father," Faith's eyes sparkled with mischief, "haven't I been doing just that? Calculating load-bearing ratios is mathematics, after all."

As Professor Somerton tried to hide his smile, Jasper realized he was witnessing something rare and precious: a family that valued knowledge for its own sake, that saw learning as a joy rather than a duty. His own path might be different, might still require fighting for his father's understanding, but at least now he knew such understanding was possible.