Page 20 of An Inventor and An Inconvenience (Gentleman Scholars #5)

T he medieval section of Oxford's architectural library was deserted at this late hour, save for Faith and Meredith bent over ancient manuscripts spread across the broad oak table. Jasper stood nearby, making rapid calculations based on the rose window drawing they'd discovered.

"If these numbers represent coordinates rather than decorative elements," he mused, "they could indicate precise locations throughout the university grounds."

"Look at this," Meredith said suddenly, pushing forward an aged architectural diagram. "The rose window that once adorned the south chapel. It was removed during renovations, but according to this record, parts of it were incorporated into other structures."

Faith compared the drawing to their coded parchment. "The patterns match perfectly. And see these markings around the perimeter? They correspond to specific buildings on the old campus map."

"Creating a network of connected points," Jasper concluded, tracing the pattern with his finger. "Ingenious. Unless you had both the window design and understood its mathematical significance, these would appear to be mere decorative elements."

Faith felt a surge of admiration for the medieval scholars who had created such an elaborate system. "They weren't just hiding knowledge—they were ensuring it could be found again by those who valued learning enough to follow the clues."

Meredith nodded, her expression serious. "And now we have Reynolds and his allies actively searching. Did you notice the books he requested from the restricted collection yesterday? All relating to medieval architectural renovations."

"We need to move faster," Faith said, gathering their notes. "The coded coordinates seem to converge here." She pointed to a section of the old library wing on their map. "Behind what's now the theology section."

Jasper studied the location. "That area has unusually thick walls according to these plans. From an engineering perspective, they're over-built for the structural requirements."

"Perfect for concealing a hidden chamber," Meredith concluded.

Faith carefully rolled up their maps and diagrams. "We should examine it tonight. The library will be empty, and Reynolds won't begin his formal inspection until tomorrow."

"Tonight?" Jasper looked concerned. "That's risky, Faith. If we're caught..."

"If Reynolds finds the chamber first, everything we've discovered could be suppressed," Faith countered. "Our school, the evidence about women scholars—it could all be dismissed as fabrication."

"Faith's right," Meredith said quietly. "I've heard whispers among the library staff. Reynolds has been meeting with board members, discussing the 'proper interpretation' of historical findings. Whatever we discover will be controlled by whoever finds it first."

Decision made, they carefully gathered their research materials. As they prepared to leave, Faith noticed a small book that had fallen from one of the shelves during their investigation. Picking it up, she found it was a collection of medieval verses.

Almost by instinct, she turned to the index, searching for references to roses or hidden knowledge. There, listed among the ancient poems, was a line that made her breath catch:

"Golden tears from roses fall, Where ancient waters mirror all, Not in shadows but in light, When three crowns align by night."

"Jasper, Meredith—look at this," she called softly. "The complete verse."

They crowded around, reading over her shoulder.

"'When three crowns align by night,'" Jasper read thoughtfully. "The three spires visible from the old library window?"

"They align perfectly during certain phases of the moon," Meredith noted. "My father once wrote about this astronomical feature in his own research."

Faith quickly checked the lunar calendar posted on the library wall. "Tonight is the first quarter moon!" she exclaimed, then looked up with widening eyes. "According to these calculations, there's a partial alignment tonight—not the perfect alignment we'll see in three weeks, but perhaps enough to glimpse whatever is hidden."

"A preliminary alignment," Jasper said, excitement building in his voice. "The perfect alignment happens on the twelfth of next month, but tonight's position might give us valuable insights—or even reveal the entrance we're seeking."

"Reynolds and his allies won't expect us to try tonight," Faith added. "They'll be watching for activity during the perfect alignment. This might be our best chance to explore undisturbed."

The three exchanged determined looks. What had begun as an intellectual puzzle had become a race against time and powerful opposition. Tonight's unexpected opportunity might be their best chance to uncover Oxford's secrets before their rivals.

"Let's meet at the old library wing at midnight," Faith said, her voice steady despite the danger ahead. "Bring only what's essential—and tell no one where you're going."

As they parted ways to prepare, Faith couldn't shake the feeling that they stood on the threshold of a discovery that might change everything—not just for their treasure hunt, but for the future of education itself.

~~~~

The midnight bells of Oxford had just finished tolling when Faith reached the shadowed entrance of the old library wing. The stone was cold beneath her fingers as she carefully tested the door—unlocked, just as they'd arranged through bribing one of the night porters. She slipped inside, the familiar scent of aged paper and leather bindings now mingled with dust and secrets in the darkness.

"Faith?" Jasper's whisper came from the shadows near the eastern alcove.

His face emerged into a shaft of moonlight as he approached, the silver beam catching on something metallic in his hand—a small brass compass modified with additional dials of his own design.

"Did Meredith make it?" Faith asked, keeping her voice low despite the emptiness of the building.

"I'm here." Meredith stepped from behind a tall bookcase, a rolled parchment tucked under one arm and a shielded lantern in her other hand. "I've brought the original architectural plans. If tonight's alignment reveals anything, we'll need these to make sense of it."

Faith nodded, pulling her mother's journal from her satchel. "According to these notes, we need to position ourselves where the three spires are visible through the rose window in the south transept."

"This way," Jasper murmured, leading them through the labyrinthine stacks.

The rose window loomed above them when they reached the transept, its intricate stonework creating a lacework pattern against the night sky. Through its center, Faith could just make out the three tallest spires of Oxford, their silhouettes ghostly in the moonlight.

"Look," Meredith breathed, pointing upward. "They're beginning to align."

The first quarter moon hung in the sky behind the spires, its light creating a particular angle that illuminated certain sections of the ancient stonework. As they watched, a beam of moonlight slid across the floor, highlighting a particular flagstone that seemed subtly different from those surrounding it.

Jasper knelt, running his fingers along the edges of the stone.

"There's a seam here that doesn't match the others. And look—" he pointed to nearly invisible markings etched into the stone's surface. "These match the symbols from the poem."

Faith's heart raced as she joined him, her fingers tracing the worn markings.

"Golden tears from roses fall," she whispered, glancing up at the rose window where the moonlight filtered through, creating tear-like patterns on the floor. "This has to be it."

Together, they pressed against different sections of the flagstone until they heard a soft click. The stone shifted slightly, revealing a narrow opening and the first few steps of a hidden stairway descending into darkness.

"It won't be fully revealed until the perfect alignment three weeks from now," Jasper observed, shining his lantern into the narrow gap. "But this is enough to begin our exploration."

Faith exchanged determined looks with her companions before taking the first step downward. The air grew cooler as they descended, carrying the unmistakable scent of old parchment and leather. At the bottom of the stairway, a small chamber opened before them, its walls lined with carefully constructed niches—most empty, but a few still holding leather-bound volumes.

"These must be some of the books hidden during the papal rejection," Faith whispered, her voice trembling with excitement as she carefully lifted one from its resting place.

The leather binding was cracked with age but still intact, protecting pages that hadn't seen light in centuries.

"Medieval theological texts," Meredith confirmed, examining another volume. "Look at these marginalia—these weren't merely religious works, they were scholarly debates."

"But there are so few," Jasper observed, counting the remaining books. "If this was Oxford's lost library..."

"It's only a fragment," Faith agreed, disappointment evident in her voice. "Most of the niches are empty."

As she moved her lantern to examine the empty spaces, something caught the light at the back of one niche—a small metallic object half-hidden in a crevice. Using her handkerchief to protect the delicate artifact, Faith carefully extracted it.

"It's a key," she breathed, holding up an ornate bronze key with an unusual geometric pattern on its head. "And look—there's something engraved on it."

Jasper held his lantern closer as they all leaned in to examine the tiny script etched along the key's shaft: "Quaerite et invenietis."

"'Seek and ye shall find,'" Meredith translated. "From the Gospel of Matthew."

"But this isn't just a religious reference," Faith said slowly, excitement building in her voice as she traced the geometric pattern on the key's head. "These angles match the alignment of buildings on the old university map. I think this is telling us that what we're seeking—the true treasure—isn't here at all."

"It's somewhere else entirely," Jasper finished, eyes wide with realization. "These books were just the first breadcrumb on a much longer trail."

"A trail leading to what?" Meredith wondered.

Faith carefully wrapped the key in her handkerchief, her mind racing with possibilities.

"I don't know," she admitted. "But I suspect it's something far more valuable than a few rescued books—something worth creating an elaborate puzzle spanning centuries to protect."

A sound from above—footsteps crossing the main library floor—made them all freeze.

"Someone's coming," Jasper whispered. "We need to go. Now."

They quickly gathered the books they'd found and the mysterious key, returning the stone to its place before retreating through the shadowy stacks. As they slipped away into the night, Faith clutched their discoveries close to her chest, knowing they'd found something precious—not just fragments of Oxford's lost library, but the first clue to an even greater mystery waiting to be solved.

Wait until Adriana finds out! Faith nearly squealed with her excitement.

But there were other things they needed to focus on first, she reminded herself even as she followed her friends through the shadows.