Page 9 of An Inventor and An Inconvenience (Gentleman Scholars #5)

F aith spread her research materials across the table in her father's study. Three ancient architectural texts lay open, each showing different views of Oxford's medieval structures. Beside them, her careful notes catalogued every mention of "roses" in the university's decorative history.

"The Rose Window in the south transept," she read from her notes. "Installed in 1512, then removed during renovations in 1587. Current location unknown." She marked this on her map with a small star.

The door opened, and Faith looked up to find Jasper watching her with curiosity.

"You've been at this for hours," he said, stepping into the room.

"May I?" He gestured to her scattered research.

Faith hesitated only briefly before nodding. "I'm trying to connect the verses from Adriana's letters to actual locations."

Jasper picked up the map she'd been annotating, studying her markings with an engineer's precision. "You believe these poems are actual directions?"

"I think they're clues," Faith replied, pointing to her notes. "Look here — this chronicle mentions 'golden tears' in reference to amber deposits found during excavations in 1601. And this architectural record describes the old reflecting pool as 'mirroring heaven's light upon ancient stones.'"

"Interesting coincidences," Jasper said, though his scepticism was evident.

"Not coincidences," Faith insisted. "Deliberate markers left by someone who wanted these places found again — but only by those clever enough to decode the meaning."

She pulled out the oldest text, carefully turning pages until she found the passage she sought. "This was written just after the papal rejection. Look at how the author describes hidden chambers 'where wisdom waits in patient slumber.' Doesn't that echo the 'shadows deep where secrets sleep' from our first verse?"

Jasper leaned closer, his scepticism giving way to genuine interest as he examined the text. "The phrasing is remarkably similar."

"And see these diagrams?" Faith pointed to faded architectural drawings in the margin. "They don't match any known structures — unless these additional walls were built specifically to hide something."

"Like chambers for a forbidden library," Jasper murmured, beginning to see the possibility.

He traced one of the drawings with his finger. "From an engineering perspective, these could indeed be hidden spaces. The load-bearing calculations would allow for it."

Faith felt a surge of triumph as she watched understanding dawn in his eyes. "So you don't think I'm chasing shadows anymore?"

"I think," Jasper said slowly, "that your theory deserves serious investigation. These texts suggest architectural anomalies that can't be explained by normal construction practices of the period."

He pulled his own notebook from his pocket and began sketching. "If these hidden chambers exist, they would need ventilation, subtle access points. From a structural standpoint, they would most likely be located..."

He paused, looking up at Faith with newfound excitement. "In exactly the areas you've marked on your map."

Faith couldn't suppress her smile. "Then you'll help me search for them?"

"A systematic investigation of architectural anomalies?" Jasper's eyes gleamed with interest. "How could any proper engineer refuse?"

~~~~

Faith's fingers were coated in dust as she ran them along yet another wall, squinting in the lamplight. They'd been at this for weeks now, methodically searching the abandoned theological wing of the library section by section. Her detailed notes, compiled from hours spent in the University archives, had narrowed their search to this area, but actually finding anything was proving far more challenging.

"Another dead end?" Jasper asked, holding his lamp higher to illuminate her work.

"I know it has to be here somewhere." Faith pulled out her journal, its pages dog-eared from constant reference. "My previous notes specifically mention this section housed the theological texts before the renovation of 1523. And look—" She pointed to a water stain on the ceiling. "That matches this sketch of the markers to watch for."

They'd already searched three other wings that had seemed promising, each time meticulously checking every stone, every joining. Faith's knees were perpetually bruised from crawling along the stone floors, and her eyes strained from studying faded architectural details.

"What would it mean to you," Jasper asked as they re-examined their notes, "if we actually found this lost library?"

Faith paused, considering her answer carefully. "It would mean vindication. Proof that knowledge was once more freely shared than it is now."

She met his gaze directly. "And practically speaking, if there's actual treasure as Adriana believes, it could fund the school I dream of establishing."

"A school?" Jasper's interest was evident.

"For girls who would otherwise never have access to education. Meredith and I have planned it since childhood." Faith's voice grew passionate. "Imagine what it would mean — mathematics, sciences, literature — all taught without restriction to minds hungry for knowledge."

Jasper studied her for a moment. "That's why this treasure hunt matters so much to you. It's not just about the discovery itself."

"It's about what the discovery could create," Faith agreed. "A future where education isn't bound by class or gender."

She looked down at her notes, suddenly self-conscious. "You probably think it's foolishly idealistic."

"No," Jasper said quietly. "I think it's precisely the kind of purpose that makes innovation meaningful."

He gathered up one of the architectural diagrams. "My mining device aims to make dangerous work safer. Your school would make knowledge accessible to those who need it most. Both change lives for the better."

Faith felt a warm glow of understanding bloom between them. For the first time, she sensed that Lord Jasper might truly comprehend what drove her — not just as an academic exercise, but as a mission worth pursuing.

"Then let's find this treasure," she said with renewed determination. "For safety and for education — innovations that matter."

Jasper nodded, his expression serious. "Two worthy causes, indeed. Though I suspect the path to either won't be without opposition."

Faith nodded along with him but turned her attention back to her materials.

She drew out the rough map she'd pieced together from building records and her mother's research. "The old inventories show this was where they kept their most valuable manuscripts. If they were hiding books during the purge, this section would have made sense—it was already set up for secure storage."

Jasper moved his lamp methodically along the wall she was examining. "What made you choose this particular wall?"

"The foundation records." Faith pulled another document from her satchel, careful not to let the ancient paper crumble.

"See these measurements? This wall is nearly twice as thick as it should be. And it lines up perfectly with that line from the poem about 'wisdom's shadow at evening's hour.'" She gestured to where the setting sun would shine through the west window. "I've been watching the light patterns for days now."

She returned to her examination, rubbing away decades of grime with her sleeve. The stone was different here—less weathered than its neighbours, as though it had been replaced or...

"Jasper!" She called him closer, heart pounding. "Bring the lamp. I think I see something."

He held the light steady as she brushed away more dust. There, barely visible in the worn stone: decorative scrollwork that wasn't quite as decorative as it appeared. The Latin letters were cunningly worked into the design, nearly invisible unless you knew to look for them.

"This is it," she breathed, double-checking the phrases against her notes. "This matches the text Mother found referenced in the old library inventory."

Faith pressed against the panel, remembering similar mechanisms she'd studied in architectural drawings. Nothing happened.

"Try moving it up first," Jasper suggested, pointing to a slight discoloration in the stone. "These old spring mechanisms often needed to be lifted before they'd slide."

Jasper held his breath as Faith pressed against a seemingly ordinary panel in the dusty wall. There was a soft click, then a grinding sound that seemed impossibly loud in the abandoned wing of the Oxford library.

"How did you know?" he whispered, unable to keep the amazement from his voice as a narrow doorway swung open before them.

"The poem mentioned 'knowledge hidden behind wisdom,'" Faith replied, a triumphant gleam in her eyes.

"This section used to house theological texts – wisdom of the ages. And look here." She pointed to barely visible marks along the edge of the door frame. "These aren't just decorative scrollwork — they're letters. Latin, I think, though very worn."

Jasper lifted his lamp higher, casting light into the darkness beyond the doorway. Years of dust lay undisturbed on the floor, and cobwebs stretched across the entrance like a warning. He found himself stepping slightly in front of Faith, an instinctive move to protect her, though from what, he wasn't sure.

Though he'd been sceptical of this treasure hunt, preferring to focus on his mining innovations, he couldn't deny the thrill of discovery.

"Shall we?" Faith's voice held equal measures of excitement and trepidation.

"We should be careful," Jasper said, testing each floorboard before putting his full weight on it.

The ancient wood creaked ominously beneath his feet.

"This section hasn't seen maintenance in who knows how long."

Faith followed close behind him, her own lamp casting dancing shadows on the walls. The chamber was smaller than Jasper had expected, perhaps fifteen feet square, but what it lacked in size it made up for in contents.

Shelves lined every wall, crammed with books and loose papers. A massive oak desk dominated the centre of the room, its surface covered in what appeared to be mechanical drawings and strange devices.

"Look at this," Faith breathed, moving toward one of the shelves.

She reached for a tome bound in cracked leather, then hesitated, glancing at Jasper. "Should we? It’s possible these haven't been touched in centuries."

Jasper understood her concern. These weren't just books – they were artifacts, preserved in this sealed chamber for generations.

"We'll be careful," he assured her. "And we'll document everything exactly as we found it."

Together, they began a methodical examination of the room. Jasper couldn't help but notice how naturally they fell into a rhythm – Faith catalogued the books while Jasper helped her document their findings. Every few minutes, one of them would call the other over to look at a particularly interesting find.

"Jasper!" Faith's excited whisper drew him to her side. "This manuscript – it's in Latin, and look at these margin notes. They're referring to other volumes, locations. I think... I think these might be records of where the books were hidden during the papal conflict."

He leaned closer, his shoulder brushing against hers as he studied the page. The familiar warmth of her presence distracted him for a moment before he focused on what she was showing him. Though engineering was his field rather than ancient languages, he could recognize the systematic way the notes were organized.

"It's like a library catalogue," he mused.

Faith's hands trembled as she examined the ancient text they'd discovered in the hidden chamber. "Jasper, look at this — it's not just religious texts they hid. There are engineering treatises, scientific documents... Original drawings of Oxford's earliest mechanical innovations."

Jasper leaned closer, his breath catching. "These could revolutionize how we teach mechanical principles. The historical context alone..."

"Exactly," Faith said excitedly. "If we could find more of these texts, we'd have proof that technical education has always been part of Oxford's legacy. It could help legitimize our dream of teaching others."

A flutter of paper falling from between the pages interrupted them. Faith snatched it from the air before it could hit the dusty floor. Her face paled as she read what was written on it.

"What is it?" Jasper asked, that protective instinct rising again at her expression.

"It's a letter," she said slowly. "Dated just before the purge of the library. Someone was trying to preserve these books, create a way for scholars to find them again when it was safe."

She looked up at him. "This isn't just about finding a treasure, is it? It's about recovering lost knowledge."

The sound of footsteps in the corridor outside made them both freeze. Jasper instinctively moved between Faith and the door, his heart pounding. But the steps passed by without pausing, fading into the distance.

Faith let out a shaky breath. "We should go," she whispered. "It's not safe to stay here too long. Someone might notice."

Jasper nodded, helping her carefully return everything to its exact position. As he watched her meticulously document the location of each book and manuscript, he couldn't help but admire her scholarly precision. This was so different from his world of mechanical innovation, and yet he found himself drawn to her enthusiasm, her dedication to preserving knowledge.

"We need somewhere private to examine everything we've documented," Faith whispered, clutching her notebook to her chest.

Even in the dim light, he could see her cheeks were flushed with excitement. "Father's study would be too risky with his current research spread everywhere."

"My laboratory," Jasper suggested. "It's late enough that we won't be disturbed."

He hesitated, suddenly aware of how improper the suggestion might sound. "That is, if you think it would be..."

"Suitable?" Faith's quiet laugh held a note of defiance. "I think we're well past worrying about that, don't you? Besides, after Professor Walkerton's interruption the other day, everyone expects to find me there anyway."

She had a point. Their academic discussions had become something of an open secret among certain faculty members, though opinions varied widely on the appropriateness of their collaboration. Jasper found himself caring less and less what others thought, especially after seeing how her keen mind approached problems from angles he'd never considered.

In his laboratory, Faith began spreading out her notes while Jasper cleared space on his workbench, pushing aside his mining device designs to make room for her discoveries.

"Look at these references," Faith said, excitement building in her voice. "It was a time of tremendous upheaval. They must have feared these texts would be destroyed."

She paused, biting her lip. "Rather like how knowledge is restricted now, though for different reasons."

The parallel wasn't lost on him. Here was Faith, brilliant and insightful, forced to pursue her studies in secret simply because of her gender.

"There's something else," Faith said, turning back to her notes. "This passage here — it refers to a series of hidden chambers, each containing different texts. And these numbers in the margin — I think they're some kind of coordinate system using Oxford's old architectural features as reference points."

Jasper leaned closer to see where she was pointing, acutely aware of her proximity. The scent of old books clung to her hair, and he found himself fighting the urge to brush back a stray curl that had escaped her pins during their exploration.

"We'll need a proper map of the old buildings," he said, his voice rougher than he intended.

"And time to decode these references." He met her gaze. "Faith, this could be dangerous. If anyone realizes what we've found..."

"Are you suggesting we stop?" There was a challenge in her voice.

"No," he replied without hesitation. "I'm suggesting we be very, very careful. And that we trust no one with this except each other and Meredith, of course."

Faith nodded, relieved he had included her oldest friend. "Meredith's position in the library gives her access to resources we couldn't otherwise obtain. And there's no one I trust more with historical research."

"I agree," Jasper said. "Her cataloguing skills have already proven invaluable, and we'll need her expertise going forward." He paused, his expression serious. "But beyond her, we must keep this discovery to ourselves until we understand exactly what we're dealing with."

The look she gave him made his heart skip a beat.

"Then we'd better get to work," she said, reaching for a fresh sheet of paper. "We have a lot to decipher before morning."

A sound from the corridor made them both freeze. Footsteps approached, then passed by their door. Faith quickly gathered her notes.

"Tomorrow," he whispered. "We'll start planning tomorrow."

She nodded, but paused before leaving. "Jasper... thank you. For believing in this. In me."

"How could I not?" he replied softly. And in that moment, standing in his laboratory with Faith, surrounded by her historical discoveries while his own invention sat forgotten in the corner, he realized just how much his priorities had shifted since meeting her.

As she slipped away into the darkness, Jasper knew that whatever they discovered in their search for Oxford's lost knowledge, he'd already found something far more valuable than he'd ever expected.