Secrets 03 - Shattered Secrets

by Lana Williams

  Amelia frowned. “That doesn’t sound very interesting.”

  “But the light show does,” Addie argued.

  With a reluctant nod, Amelia agreed. “I do think I’d like to see the lights. What colors will they be?”

  “I have no idea. It will be a surprise for all of us.” Moira only hoped the girls didn’t become too bored with the demonstration.

  *

  Lucas and Ashbury lingered on Hook Lane near the docks again. Another warehouse had surfaced that was rented to Leon Smith, a name the professor had used in the past to rent buildings. Weston was due to arrive at any moment.

  The neighborhood was rough but this was where most of the larger warehouses could be found in London. Red brick buildings colored black with soot lined the streets, many two stories high.

  “Surely he should be here by now,” Lucas said as he glanced around.

  “Some things never change. You never were good at waiting.”

  “We could at least go look in the windows.”

  Ashbury shook his head. “Sure and that wouldn’t draw any attention at all. An earl and a viscount peering in the soot-blackened windows of a dirty old warehouse. Wonderful idea.”

  Lucas closed his eye for a moment as the movement of people and horses and carts blurred together.

  “What is it?” Ashbury asked as he moved a bit closer.

  “Nothing.” Lucas didn’t see the point in talking about what they’d already discussed.

  “Crowds are miserable. It’s impossible not to see the auras then study the people to see what might be causing that particular shade.” He sighed. “I sometimes stare at the rooftops or the ground simply so I don’t have to see the people.”

  Lucas turned to look at Ashbury. Even now he averted his gaze from the people bustling by.

  “Wait until you attend a ball,” Ashbury said.

  Lucas nearly shuddered at the thought. “I have no intention of doing any such thing.”

  “Oh, that’s right. You will be in Brazil before the next season begins. Unless, of course, you change your mind.”

  Lucas had no retort. He’d never been more uncertain of anything. How had his life gotten so complicated?

  “Are things truly so much better in Brazil?” Ashbury asked.

  “I know only a handful of people there.”

  “For me, it doesn’t seem to matter if they’re strangers or acquaintances. The dark aura almost forces me to take action. I wonder what’s amiss.”

  Lucas turned to where his friend looked. Weston was striding toward them. But his pace slowed when his attention caught on a man who stared at the papers in his hand as he walked along the crowded sidewalk. A dark aura shrouded his head and shoulders, causing a sinking feeling in the pit of Lucas’s stomach.

  “What do you see?” Ashbury asked, worry lacing his tone.

  “Nothing good.”

  “Apparently neither does Weston.”

  Lucas hurried forward, wondering if for once his actions could possibly prevent a death. Why did he bother to try? Hadn’t he been down this road often enough to know his efforts would make no difference? If not today, the man would die on the morrow.

  But at least then, Lucas wouldn’t be there to watch.

  He caught Weston’s gaze, but it was obvious Weston didn’t see what Lucas did as he didn’t rush forward to try to stop the man.

  Lucas elbowed through the crowded street toward the man who remained oblivious to his surroundings. But for every step Lucas took, the man took two. He had no problem maneuvering through the throng and seemed forever out of Lucas’s reach.

  If anything, the man’s aura darkened further. By the look of his attire and the papers, Lucas surmised he must be a clerk of some sort. The man reached a street corner, barely pausing to see if any conveyance was approaching.

  Lucas cursed as he saw the coach with a team of four traveling far too fast for these crowded streets. How could the man not see the approaching danger?

  No matter how quick he was, there was no way he could catch the clerk in time. Weston at last realized the problem and rushed forward, but he wasn’t close enough either.

  “Hold!” Lucas called in his loudest, most commanding tone.

  People on the street paused, turning to stare at him. All except the man walking into the path of danger.

  “I said hold!”

  At last the man heard or perhaps realized how quiet the street had suddenly become. He met Lucas’s gaze then frowned when he didn’t recognize him. Apparently deciding Lucas could not possibly be speaking to him, he continued on his way, stepping into the street right in front of the oncoming team of horses.

  “No!” Lucas’s cry went unheeded.

  Weston grabbed the clerk by his shoulder. He looked up in time to jerk back as the horses charged past a hair’s breadth from him. Weston pulled him back farther while the coach rumbled by, narrowly missing him, the coachman cursing loudly at the near mishap.

  “Step out of the way! Blasted fool.”

  Lucas stopped, relief filling him.

  “I say, that was incredibly close,” Ashbury said when he caught up with him.

  The clerk shook Weston’s hand before continuing across the street, this time checking for traffic first.

  Weston joined them on the sidewalk.

  Before he could utter a word, Ashbury glanced about. “Let us find a more suitable place with less eyes upon us. We’ve drawn far too much attention here.”

  He led the way up Hook Lane to a more deserted area.

  “What did you see?” Weston asked as soon as they stopped.

  “A dead man walking,” Lucas replied.

  “Can you always change the hand of fate?”

  “Rarely.” Lucas’s head spun and the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach had yet to fade.

  “What of you?” he asked Weston. “What did you see?”

  “Only that he wasn’t going to succeed in whatever endeavor he intended. I didn’t realize that meant crossing the street.” He shook his head. “If I hadn’t seen your reaction, Berkmond, I wouldn’t have thought twice about the man.”

  “I saw nothing, so it was a good thing the two of you were here. Perhaps next time he’ll watch where he’s going.” Ashbury scowled in the direction of the incident.

  Lucas sighed.

  “What?” Weston asked. “And don’t tell me nothing. That particular sigh meant something.”

  “Despite our efforts, chances are he’ll have some other harm befall him.”

  “You’ve seen that happen before?” Ashbury asked.

  “Too many times.”

  “So if it’s your time to die, it’s your time.” Weston cocked his head to the side. “Fascinating.”

  Lucas scoffed. “Not when you’re the one seeing it.”

  “No, I don’t suppose so.” Weston continued to stare at Lucas. “You know their death is not your fault, right?”

  Lucas looked at him in surprise.

  “Ashbury seemed to believe the fault lay with him when someone took the wrong path. I’ve spent months convincing him that’s not the case. Do I need to do the same for you?”

  Lucas was nonplussed. He realized he had thought that. If he saw a dark aura and could do nothing to prevent the death, it certainly felt as though some of the fault lay with him.

  Weston slapped him on the shoulder. “I can see we have some work ahead of us.”

  Ashbury gave a wry smile. “Will you look at the three of us? I still don’t understand how this damned aura reading came to pass.”

  “Nor I,” Weston said. “I’ve never heard of electromagnetism having an effect like this on anyone.”

  “I always hoped to find some way to reverse this bloody curse.” Ashbury adjusted his hat. “Unfortunately the miniature device I built doesn’t produce the charge needed.”

  Lucas studied his friend. “I have been conducting some experiments with the more unusual plants in Brazil, hoping to find something that, at th
e very least, would reduce the affects of the auras.”

  “And?” Weston asked.

  “Nothing that doesn’t reduce your mind to a muddle. I’ve discovered a significant quantity of rhodite, which is—”

  “An excellent conductor,” Weston finished. “We found a piece in Simmons’ lodging-house. Did you bring it to England?”

  At Lucas’s nod, Ashbury said, “We could use it to lure the professor.”

  “Allow us to see if he reaches out to us first,” Weston said. “Setting a trap for him will be difficult and dangerous. I would rather we use that as a last resort.”

  “Interesting that Professor Grisby has no aura-reading ability.” Ashbury ran a finger along the line of his jaw. “He believes the three of us at his side will make him nearly invincible.”

  “Only if we actually agreed with his plan. Do we attempt to convince him we’ll go along with him when he communicates with us?” Weston asked. “That would be one way to learn what his intentions are.”

  “I would think he’ll be on guard against that,” Lucas said. “I highly doubt he’d trust any of us with the entire plan. Without knowing all of it, we would have difficulty stopping him.”

  “If we could find out where he’s keeping the devices and either destroy or dismantle them, that would stop him,” Ashbury suggested.

  “Only temporarily. It might take some time, but he could rebuild them.” Lucas shook his head. “There has to be a way we can stop him permanently. Did either of you see the advertisement for the electromagnetic spectrograph demonstration this evening?”

  “I believe I saw that,” Weston said. “Interest in the field is growing.”

  “You believe there’s a chance Grisby might attend?” Ashbury asked.

  “He always had a bit of an ego. It would make sense that he would want to know what other scientists in the field have learned.”

  Weston nodded. “That’s true. It’s being held at a theater, is it not? If we all attend, we should be able to keep watch for a sign of him. With his scars, he won’t be easily able to hide himself.”

  “Not to mention his limp,” Ashbury said. “There’s no disguising that.”

  “Excellent. We’ll arrive early and see what occurs.” Lucas couldn’t help but touch his eye patch to make certain it remained in place. From Ashbury and Weston’s description, it took far more than a small patch to cover the professor’s scars.

  “It’s doubtful that he’ll be alone. Simmons will most likely be with him. He may have hired other men as well by now.” Weston scowled. “We must be prepared for anything.”

  “Or nothing,” Ashbury added.

  “Can’t say that I’m looking forward to enduring an evening spent with a crowd of people.” Lucas shook his head, knowing he’d see at least a few dark auras. He had no desire to repeat today’s performance. Attempting to change fate was nearly impossible. He thought he’d given up on trying to do so years ago, yet today had proven that he couldn’t simply stand aside when there was a chance his actions could make a difference.

  “Nor do I,” Ashbury said. “But I must say it feels easier to endure with the two of you.”

  “Indeed, it is.” Lucas looked back and forth between his friends. The burden of the aura reading and all that came along with it was easier with them at his side.

  But hiding it from Moira was becoming more challenging each day. If she discovered his ability in the wrong situation, when he couldn’t explain, would she think him too broken? Would she turn away from him completely? The idea made him ill.

  Did he dare tell her so he could explain on his own terms or would that eliminate any chance he had with her?

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Moira alighted from the carriage that evening, holding the girls’ hands firmly in hers. The street near the theater was crowded and held a mix of all manner of people. She had not yet grown used to navigating such chaos. Back home, the largest gathering she’d ever encountered had been at church on a holiday.

  But the throngs in London were quite different than the ones in her small village. Here, they took on a life of their own, ebbing and flowing like the tide.

  Dusk was fading quickly, but the darkness seeping in would make the light show all the more exciting. Unfortunately, that darkness also made her nervous. She glanced behind her to make certain the maid was still with them. She’s specifically requested that Ingrid not accompany them. Mrs. Wade, the housekeeper, had asked why, but Moira hadn’t given a reason as she wanted to speak with Lucas first.

  Dampness lingered in the air, a sign of the fog that would no doubt crawl into the city this night. She was starting to recognize the signs of it like a true Londoner could. While the fog back home made things quite cozy and still, here it carried a colder edge, feeling sinister at times.

  “I hope we can find a good seat,” Amelia said.

  “We came early enough that we should be able to,” Moira responded. The size of the crowd was rather surprising. She hadn’t realized how many people would be interested in this type of demonstration though she supposed it was the light show that drew them rather than the science behind it. “Please take great care that we stay together.”

  The girls squeezed her hands tight as they stared about, as fascinated by the people as Moira was.

  Moira located the line to the man selling tickets and waited with the girls. The line moved relatively quickly. Another man called out in a rhythmic voice to entice passersby to attend the show as well. Boys sold nuts on either side of the line, the smell of the hot, roasted treats tempting many.

  At last they reached the ticket seller and bought tickets. The man directed them to continue inside so they could find a seat. The crowd slowly eased forward and Moira breathed a sigh of relief as they passed through the theater entrance. The sloped seating was filling, but plenty of seats remained near the front.

  “Look!” Addie rose up on her toes. “We can sit in the front row!”

  The idea made Moira uneasy. Sitting so close to a machine that produced any sort of electricity seemed like a bad idea. “A few rows back would be better.” At the girl’s moan of disappointment, Moira added, “You’d have a crook in your neck if we sat so close.”

  Addie tipped her head back as though to test Moira’s logic then reluctantly nodded in agreement.

  After some discussion, they decided on seats five rows back from the stage and centrally located. The theater continued to fill as they took their seats. This was her first outing with only her and the girls, and she was more nervous than she’d expected, even with the maid.

  Lucas had not returned home before they’d left, so she hadn’t been able to tell him of their plans. She’d considered inviting Abigail and Emma but worried she’d overextended her welcome with them. They were probably spending the evening with their husbands. She squelched the pang of longing that filled her at the thought.

  Besides it was far past time for her and the girls to venture out on their own. After all, this was how it would be when Lucas left. This was the perfect event, a combination of education and entertainment, something they’d never be able to see at home. Determined to set aside her nervousness, she opened the pamphlet the doorman had provided.

  “What does it say?” Amelia asked.

  “Doctor Jacob Finnenbacher will share with you his delightful discoveries with the electromagnetic spectrograph. This amazing device measures the intensity of radiation, which has varying wavelengths. Prepare to learn more about this exciting discovery while enjoying the lights these waves create.”

  Addie clapped her hands. “Lovely. I’m so excited. How much longer before it begins?”

  “We have a bit of a wait,” Moira advised. She distracted them by discussing the theater itself. The stage was covered by long red velvet drapes that shifted every so often as though preparations were being made behind it.

  The seats around them filled with families, a group of older men who were apparently members of some sort of scientific as
sociation based on their conversation, and several couples as well.

  To her surprise, the place soon filled to the brim, leaving additional people to stand in the back and around the sides. A man went around, turning down the gas lights on the walls and the conversation quieted as anticipation filled the air.

  The girls stared at the stage, eyes wide, making Moira smile.

  “Good evening,” a deep, amplified voice came from behind the curtain. “Please join me in welcoming Doctor Jacob Finnenbacher, master of the electromagnetic spectrograph!”

  The audience dutifully applauded as the curtain opened.

  A man in formal evening attire took the stage and bowed. Dr. Finnenbacher had a flare for the dramatic, but in Moira’s opinion, that made it more entertaining.

  An object was on the table behind him covered in a red cloth. He explained the basics of electromagnetism, how it had been discovered, giving proper credit to those scientists who had made the discoveries.

  Moira thought the information quite fascinating. A glance at the girls showed he still held their interest as well. Just when she thought his explanation had drawn on overlong, he concluded it. A drum roll sounded from behind the stage and he gestured toward the device covered on the table.

  “And now, the electromagnetic spectrograph!” He pulled off the cover and the crowd applauded.

  The device looked much like an oversized telescope.

  “With the proper light source, a lens to magnify the light, a barrier to narrow the light rays, and a prism,” he said as he flicked a lever and the light came on, “one can see every color of the rainbow.” He cranked a handle and the light reflecting off a large white sheet behind him changed colors.

  The audience made appreciative noises, including the girls.

  The show continued, with the doctor sharing his knowledge in between more displays of light, each more interesting than the last. With one, he vibrated the lights. With another, he cast what looked like stars across the white ceiling of the theater. When he made those same stars appear to rain down, the crowd roared with approval.