Lightning Strikes Twice (The Heart of a Hero Book 4)

by Jillian Chantal

  “I don’t think blood can literally boil inside our bodies, but you are definitely affecting the temperature of the liquid in the glass or cup. This is why I wanted to monitor you.” He reached out as if to touch her then pulled his hand back. “May I take the liberty of gauging your skin’s heat level?”

  “Would you like me to take off my glove?”

  “No, don’t do that. Anyone could come out of the drawing room at any moment.”

  He needn’t sound so scared that someone would immediately hustle him off to the cathedral to marry her if she were caught with her glove off. “Then what do you suggest?”

  “If I could merely lay a couple of fingers on your arm above the glove, that should be sufficient.”

  She held her arm out stiffly. “That will be fine.”

  Laurence placed the index and middle finger of his right hand on the fleshy part of her left arm right above the elbow. After a couple of seconds, he said, “Yes. I can tell you still have a higher body temperature than anyone else I know. This makes me wonder even more what other effects the lightning had on you.” He let his hand drop away.

  Now that she was focused on herself again, she realized her hands and arms were so hot she could barely tolerate keeping her gloves on. She’d been so relieved to take them off while dinner was served, but now that they were on her again, she thought she would start screaming if she couldn’t take them off soon.

  “I wonder as well. I was hoping we would have a chance to speak to my father tonight about using his laboratory to test what else I can do or what has been done to me. Neither I nor my brother knew Father was inviting so many people to dine.”

  “The reason I came this evening was for just such a purpose. Not that I didn’t enjoy the dinner and the table conversation, but I truly wanted an opportunity to convince your family that we need to do this for your benefit.”

  “My benefit? Not solely so you can write another paper?” Hetty paced the area where they stood, knowing it did her no good to get upset as that merely made her body hotter.

  “Please don’t get upset again. I admit there will be data that can be used, but right now, whether you trust me or not, I‘m more concerned about your health than anything else.”

  Before she could respond, the drawing room door opened again. Hetty could hear many people moving toward the entrance hall. Loudly, she said, “Let me call for Simpkins to bring your coat, Mr. Fortescue.”

  She admired how, for someone with no social skills, as he said, that he was able to understand quickly what she was trying to do.

  He responded, “Thank you so much, Miss Hale. I’m so glad I ran into you on your way back into the drawing room as I needed to leave suddenly. I was afraid I wouldn’t have the opportunity to say my goodbyes to one of the family.”

  The hall filled and they were separated by the influx of people all trying to have their coats retrieved at the same time.

  He looked over the heads of a couple of women at her, but she couldn’t come close to him again as she was soon surrounded by her family as they told their guests good night.

  As Laurence left himself, he shook hands with John and bowed to her and her mother. Lastly, he shook her father’s hand and said, “I’d like to meet you at your laboratory again tomorrow after my tutorial at ten. Would that be acceptable?”

  “Yes. I think we should as we have a lot to discuss,” her father said.

  “And please feel free to bring Miss Hale along. I know how she loves to come with you and I don’t mind her presence.”

  Hetty hoped Laurence was wording his statement to her father the way he was in order to have her be allowed to go with him and not the way it sounded. He didn’t mind her presence? She certainly hoped he didn’t. After all, whose laboratory was it anyway?

  “I’m not sure about bringing her again so soon. We have a lot to do and she would probably rather be here engaged in more womanly pursuits.” Her father looked down at her. “Wouldn’t you, my dear?”

  “Actually, no, Father. I would like to come and watch you and Mr. Fortescue work.”

  “Don’t allow it, Father, it’s inappropriate for a young lady of Hetty’s station to be in such a place,” John said.

  Her mother said, “We have other guests departing. We can discuss Hester’s activities for the morrow at breakfast.”

  “Then I’ll say goodnight.” Laurence bowed again and turned to go. Before he left he glanced back at Hetty and nodded slightly which she took as a sign he would ask her father tomorrow if he could help her. Even if she weren’t allowed to accompany him to the building.

  Beside her, John hissed in her ear.

  “What?” she asked.

  “What was that secret look between you and Fortescue? I tell you, I won’t stand for an alliance with him,” John whispered. Hetty was sure he didn’t want their father to hear his words.

  “You have no rights over me so leave me alone.”

  “Both of you stop bickering. I can’t understand what you’re saying, but you’re not behaving as a Hale should in public.” Their father glared at both of them then turned to address the latest of his guests to leave.

  Hetty took a step back and watched as the final group of people made their way to the door. One was the man her father had introduced as William Roundtree. He was walking with the man she’d seen speaking to Henry Hammond earlier.

  Paying particular attention to her father’s conversation when they were beside him, Hetty listened to see if she could hear the man’s name. Something about him didn’t seem right and she wanted to find out more about him.

  “I’ll see you soon, Talbot,” her father said.

  “Likewise, Hale. Soon maybe we’ll have what we need to get your idea in motion.”

  “We’ve got one member ready to act so it’s looking hopeful.” Hetty’s father shook hands with Roundtree. “I hope to have your agreement to help as well.”

  “We shall talk more later, as I need a lot more information before I can commit.”

  “Then we’ll meet soon.” Her father let them go and once the house was empty of guests, he turned to Hetty and John. “I am sorely disappointed in you both. First Hester disappears after dinner and then we find you out here with Mr. Fortescue.”

  He glared at John. “Don’t smirk. You were even worse. Focusing all your attention on the wife of one of my guests and then berating your sister for God only knows what small sin right out here in the open where anyone could hear. Are you striving to be in the gossip papers tomorrow? Is that the extent of your ambition?”

  John had the grace to look abashed by his father’s accusations, but Hetty could only focus on her father’s words about John and a married woman. When had that happened and how did she miss it?

  Laurence didn’t think his morning tutorial would ever end. How did these young men expect to ever matriculate if all they did was drink spirits and punt on the river? His patience was low for their antics this day. He wanted to meet with Mr. Hale and obtain permission to work with Miss Hale and study her condition. It was vital that her father agree.

  He’d stayed awake most of the night thinking about how she could have been so affected by the lightning that she could now warm liquid with her bare hands. What other things could she now do? Had the electric current that passed through her body given her any other power? These were all questions swirling through his mind making it impossible to sleep.

  Finally, the last boy had presented what he needed to in order for Laurence to lock his rooms and make his way to the laboratory. He whistled a bit as he walked out of his building and down the block to where Hale should be waiting for him.

  He found himself hoping Miss Hale was there, but he wasn’t really expecting her to be since Mr. Hale hadn’t been too keen on the idea when Laurence left his home the evening before.

  Of course, he was correct. He let himself in after rapping twice on the door. Mr. Hale sat on one of the stools near the tall table by the window. Beside him was one of
the men who had been at the prior night’s dinner. Laurence thought he recalled the man’s name as Charles Talbot. They were looking at some kind of murky liquid in a glass container.

  “Good morning. What do you have there?” Laurence asked.

  “Talbot here thinks water from the Thames can somehow be made potable. He wants me to see if I can find a way to clarify it. My laboratory, that is,” Mr. Hale said.

  “Maybe now that the government has given you a commission, you can share with me the news that you and young Fortescue plan to write about in your mysterious paper.” Mr. Talbot rubbed his hands together as if he were about to place a large bet on a horse that was sure to win.

  Laurence didn’t like the look of avarice on the old politician’s face, but before he could respond by saying the information wasn’t to be shared yet, Mr. Hale spoke.

  “Now look here, neither Fortescue nor I will be bullied into disclosing any information. There’s no need in trying.”

  “I’m quite determined to be the first to know, so you must promise to tell me as soon as possible.” The politician let out one of the fake laughs they were known for. It made Laurence even more determined to publish his paper publically before the man could get any information from Hale. It was vital that no part of Laurence’s discovery be allowed to get into the wrong hands.

  There was a war on with Napoleon after all and he might be able to use the information in his efforts to finally invade England. Laurence wasn’t sure how, but he didn’t want to give the Frenchman any advantage if he could help it.

  “We can’t make any hasty promises, my friend,” Mr. Hales said. “All I can agree to now is to being sure I invite you to the unveiling of the discovery.”

  “You’ll have to do better than that in order to be awarded the right to work on the Thames water project.” The fake laugh came out again.

  Laurence realized this man was threatening them both. In a subtle, but effective way. He could see the avarice on Mr. Hale’s face as he contemplated losing the grant from Parliament.

  He needed to put a stop to this one-sided negotiation. “Excuse me, Mr. Talbot, but since the discovery is actually mine, I’m the one who you need to have permission from in order to know the details. Mr. Hale here has merely agreed to work with me to develop it further and write the paper.” There. He’d said it. Owned it as his own, not a collaboration.

  “Oh ho, Hale. Now the truth is out. You’re using the boy’s findings on this one and it isn’t yours to sell at all.”

  “Who said anything about selling?” Laurence asked. This was even more disturbing and he needed to make haste to report this development to his superiors.

  “No one yet, but everything is for sale, my boy. Everything.” The politician changed his former false joviality for a glare. “Make sure you realize that. The sooner you do, the better for you.”

  Now he truly was being threatened. Laurence regretted sharing any information with Hale now. What had he done and more importantly, what possible connection did Mr. Hale have to this Talbot gentleman? And for that matter, with Henry Hammond?

  He needed to make his excuses and leave as soon as he could.

  “At the moment, my experiment and findings are not for sale. Let me be clear about that.” Laurence was glad he hadn’t brought his box with his equipment with him as he was sure the man would try to wrest them away. Of course, Mr. Hale could recreate it all if he wanted since Laurence had held nothing back from him.

  “They will be. You can be sure of that.” Talbot glared at him again. “If the government gives you a grant to work on whatever it is you’ve found, the work will belong to the Crown.”

  “If King George or the Regent want my work, they are welcome to it.” Laurence tapped the tabletop with his right index finger. “When it’s ready to be revealed. And only then.”

  Laurence turned so fast, his black robe swirled around his legs. “And now I must take my leave as I have forgotten an urgent appointment.”

  “Wait, I thought we were going to work this morning,” Hale called out.

  Over his shoulder, Laurence said, “And so did I, sir. So did I.”

  When the door closed behind him, he sent up a quick prayer that Hale wouldn’t divulge his discovery. He then made his way quickly to his rooms to arrange to hide the box that contained his experiment before heading to the War Office to make his report.

  Chapter Six

  Hetty was disappointed that she didn’t make it downstairs before her father left in the carriage. She would never have thought he would skip breakfast and the reading the papers in order to avoid taking her with him to his laboratory. But it appeared he had.

  Simpkins had even confirmed her father had called for the conveyance extra early and had even taken his breakfast in a serviette. She’d never heard of such a thing as a gentleman dining in his carriage. What man who was so concerned about his family’s good name in society would do that? Carry bread and meat in a serviette as he rode down the streets of Oxford?

  She wandered around the front hall for a while, undecided what to do.

  Eventually, she called for her maid to be her chaperone and asked the butler to send for the smaller carriage. Maybe some fresh air in the park would give her an idea what to do in order to find a way to see Laurence. And it couldn’t hurt that the outside wind would give her some relief from the hotness of her body.

  Arriving at the park, she turned to Mary. “Let’s stroll down the way and see if anyone of my acquaintance is out enjoying the weather as well.”

  “Yes, Miss. That would be nice for you.”

  Leaving the carriage and driver, Hetty walked on the path followed at a discreet distance by Mary.

  Within a few minutes, Hetty came upon a group of her friends standing in front of the hat maker’s shop. “Has Mrs. Jessup ordered some new ribbons or something?” Hetty asked the girl closest to her, Cassandra.

  “No. But Martha Eggleston just went inside with Jonathan Blackthorne and she’s trying on hats right out in the open with him giving his opinion. Go a bit closer so you can see.”

  “Are they engaged? I haven’t heard the news.”

  “No. Not that anyone is aware. Obviously, they’ll have to marry now. Why would they make a display of themselves for us all to see and gossip about? Do you think her father turned down his courtship and this is the way they’re trying to change his mind?” Cassandra was all aflutter with the scandal unfolding in public under the morning sun.

  Hetty wondered at the nerve of Miss Eggleston at trying something so daring. It was much more creative than lurking in the shadows on a veranda at a ball, but it was still something that would cause a stir.

  Then she thought about it more in depth. If this worked for them, could she arrange such a thing with Laurence? As soon as the thought went through her head, she regretted it. It was different with the scientist and her. She could see even through the grimy window that Mr. Blackthorne was gazing at Miss Eggleston with the light of love in his eyes.

  Mr. Fortescue would probably never look at Hetty that way. He was so focused on his work that he failed to see the woman in front of him. And even with spectacles at that.

  Hetty turned away. Her heart ached and she couldn’t bear to see the two of them seeming so happy together.

  “Where are you going,” Cassandra asked. “Don’t you want to stay and watch? I’m sure someone has sent for her mother or father by now. It should be interesting.”

  “No. I don’t think I want to be in the audience for that display. It’s a bit unseemly.”

  “Go on with you then. You’ll have to hear about it second-hand and you know how stories tend to change when they’re repeated.” Cassandra turned avidly back toward the window.

  Whispering under her breath, Hetty said, “And you’ll be one of the ones to embellish it.”

  “What did you say, Miss?” Mary asked from over her right shoulder.

  “Nothing.” They continued their stroll toward the park, bu
t Hetty’s heart was no longer engaged in the endeavor. She felt sorry for poor Miss Eggleston and Mr. Blackthorne. And if she let herself dwell on it, she was equally sorry for herself.

  “Let’s return to the carriage, Mary,” she said and turned around.

  “Yes, Miss.”

  In the carriage again, Hetty asked the driver to take them around to her father’s laboratory. She wasn’t going to go inside since he had left without her that morning, but she wanted to see if maybe Laurence was outside. Somehow, she needed to see him at the moment.

  Realizing about half way there that she was being silly, she almost asked the driver to turn back to the manor. Then there would be the dilemma of explaining to him why she changed her mind.

  Even though she’d been raised with servants all her life and they were usually unobtrusive, somehow Hetty always felt as if she had to be someone she really wasn’t in order to keep them from thinking ill of her. She knew her parents and brother didn’t think that way—if they even thought of the servants at all—and that she was different than most people of her class in that regard.

  They turned the corner nearest to the laboratory and Hetty let out a small gasp of pleasure. Laurence was striding down the street dressed in his university robes.

  He didn’t notice her as he seemed to be moving with great purpose away from the direction of the laboratory.

  When they drew abreast of her father’s carriage that was still in the spot where Baxter usually left it, her driver stopped and asked, “Would you like me to leave you here with the master, Miss?”

  She thought for a moment, but with Laurence clearly gone, she finally said, “No, I think I’ve changed my mind. He may get angry if I disturb him.”

  “Yes, Miss. Then you wish to return home?”

  “That would be fine.”

  The horses moved again and Hetty sat back against the cushions. Her thoughts focused on Laurence and where he could be going in such a hurry. He sure looked as if he was on a mission, but what kind could it be? He was a teacher and a scientist. Why the scowl on his face?