Page 62 of The Armor of Light

Hornbeam went back to his breakfast.

*

A few days later, Roger Riddick showed up at Barrowfield’s Mill.

The more Sal thought about it, the more important it seemed that Roger should give the first lecture to the Socratic Society. No one could object to a talk about science. And Roger was the son of the squire of Badford, which made him a member of the ruling elite. Furthermore, Roger would not ask for payment, which was important because the society could not afford to pay.

She had known Roger since childhood. Children did not pay much attention to the rules of social class, and a squire’s child could splash about in a stream with the offspring of farm labourers. She had seen Roger grow up, and in his teens he had shown that he was different from the rest of his family.

But that did not mean he would do anything she asked.

He had lost the boyish look, Sal thought, when he came into the spinning room. He was in his early twenties now. He was stillgood-looking, slender and fair, but he was not the type who appealed to her – she preferred a more manly man. All the same, he had charm, especially when he grinned that impish grin. All the women liked him, and he even permitted a little light banter.

He said: ‘Hello, Sal, how’s the old machine? Still going strong?’

‘Yes, and the spinning jenny’s fine too, Mr Riddick.’

It was a joke they had shared several times before, and they both laughed.

‘It seems so small now,’ Roger said. ‘These days they make engines with ninety-six spindles.’

‘So I hear.’

Roger noticed Kit. ‘Hello, lad,’ he said. ‘How’s your head?’

‘Gives me no trouble, sir,’ Kit said.

‘Good.’

The other women had stopped work to listen. At the next machine, Joanie said: ‘Why aren’t you in Oxford, Mr Riddick?’

‘Because I’m no longer a student. I’ve done my three years.’

‘I hope you passed your exams.’

‘Yes. I came top of the class in losing money at cards.’

‘And now you know everything.’

‘Oh, no. Only a woman can know everything.’

The others cheered at that.

He said: ‘After Christmas I’m going to another university, the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin.’

‘Prussia!’ said Sal. ‘You’ll have to learn German.’

‘And French. For some reason the lectures are in French there.’

‘More studying! Is there no end to it?’

‘As a matter of fact I don’t think there is.’

‘Well, the people 0f Kingsbridge are going to educate themselves, so watch out, we may catch up with you.’

He frowned. ‘How so?’

‘We’re starting a new group called the Socratic Society.’