The Uncharted Series Omnibus

by Keely Brooke Keith

  As they left the forest path and stepped through the short grass behind the barn, Lydia stayed close to Connor. She had not said a word the entire walk. Though he enjoyed her voice, he was also enjoying the silence.

  When they got close to the cottage, Lydia whispered, “Connor?”

  “Yes?”

  Lydia swallowed hard before she spoke. “There are experiments.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “With electricity. I have heard of such things. Not in Good Springs, but in other villages.”

  Connor kept walking. He was focused on leading them through the dark shadow of the Colburn house and back to her door safely. He and John had already discussed electronics and Connor’s theory of how to keep the Land undetected. John had not mentioned any experiments with electricity in the Land. Connor wondered what Lydia would know that the overseer would not.

  When they reached Lydia’s door, Connor stopped and looked at her. “Are you sure? Your dad said he knew nothing of electricity in the Land.”

  “Yes, I am quite sure.” Lydia kept her voice quiet. “Three years ago I traveled to every village in the Land. It was during my medical training. There was a man in Northcrest whom I distinctly remember discussing the electric motor he planned to build.”

  Connor’s concern grew as she spoke, but he tried to appear unfazed. “How far away is Northcrest?”

  “A week’s journey.”

  “On foot?”

  “Horseback. Of course, it’s in the opposite direction of Stonehill, and there was an inventor there who also spoke of electricity.”

  Connor did not like the sound of that. He drew a deep breath and kept his visage neutral despite the possibilities she had mentioned. He opened the cottage door and took a look inside the medical office. “We can talk to your dad about it in the morning.”

  Lydia nodded then walked inside her cottage. She glanced back at him. “Good night, Connor.”

  Connor pointed at the door before he closed it. “Does this lock?”

  “Yes.”

  “Lock it.”

  Chapter Seven

  Sleep evaded Lydia while troubled thoughts churned in her mind and prompted an early rise. Though Connor had acted unconcerned about the electrical experiments she mentioned, the notion of anyone producing signals that could jeopardize the safety of the Land worried her. Her life was devoted to healing the individual, but the more she considered the implications of the Land being invaded, the more trivial her work felt. Instead of resting during the night, Lydia’s anxious mind devised a plan of action, making the new concern a priority. By dawn, she decided she should travel to the other villages and warn the inventors of the hazardous potential of their designs.

  Lydia yawned as she stood at the kitchen sink and filled a kettle. Intending to speak to her father about the matter before the rest of the household came to breakfast, she tried not to make any noise that would wake the others. She set the kettle on the stove as quietly as possible, but her tired hand caused the kettle to clank against the stove. She left it there to boil and carried a breadbasket to the table as her father walked into the kitchen. Eager to discuss Connor’s theory of the Land and her plan to save it from being detected, Lydia drew a breath to speak but promptly closed her mouth when Bethany trotted into the kitchen.

  “Good morning, Father. Good morning, Lydia,” Bethany chirped. “The party was splendid last night, wasn’t it?” She twirled once before she sat in her chair at the table. Then she selected a muffin from the breadbasket and picked a berry from its top. “Oh, Lydia! Your waltz was mentioned throughout the evening. All the girls said if they were you they would be fully intrigued by Connor.”

  “Bethany!” Lydia huffed, her unrested nerves intolerant of her sister’s meddling.

  “Not to worry, dear sister. I told them you have never been intrigued in your life.” Bethany popped a berry in her mouth and smiled in a way that rankled Lydia’s already irritated mood.

  “You keep that to yourself!” Lydia snapped, surprising even herself.

  John cleared his throat with forced volume. Both girls looked at their father and knew what he meant. As John carried the coffeepot to the table, he changed the subject. “Bethany, will you be working at the pottery yard all day?”

  “Yes, Father.” She ate the last bite of muffin then chased it down with half a glass of milk while walking to the sink. Bethany gave her father a loud kiss on his bearded cheek and flashed Lydia a pouty glare as she headed out the door.

  Lydia wanted to speak with her father before anyone else came to the kitchen. As John poured the steaming coffee into his cup, Lydia sat beside him at the table. He took a muffin and offered her the breadbasket. She held up her hand. “I must speak with you about something.”

  “You seem agitated this morning.” John tilted his head. “Is this about something that happened last night?”

  Lydia knew her father trusted her, but still she decided to avoid mentioning her evening of stargazing. Preparing to speak, Lydia willed herself to level her voice and demonstrate the control that was expected of the village physician. “Connor said he has discussed the condition of the outside world with you.”

  John set the breadbasket on the table and then leaned back in his chair while brushing his fingertips together. He raised one eyebrow and studied Lydia. “What did he tell you?”

  “He said he believes the Land is undetectable to the technology other nations use partially because we don’t have electricity here. He believes if we did invent ways to generate electrical signals, the Land’s existence might be detected by other nations. He was kind not to burden me with the details, but it seems we should try to remain hidden from the outside world.”

  “Yes, it would seem that way. Connor asked me if I knew anything of electricity, but I knew nothing of the sort.” John picked up his coffee cup and sipped once, then he looked at Lydia. “Do you know of any such inventions in the Land?”

  “I do, Father. Not here in Good Springs, but when I was traveling. There was a man in Stonehill who came into the medical office there. As he was being treated, the man spoke of his inventions. He told us about being inspired by the lightning and how he was trying to create electric currents. I looked through my notes last night. The man’s name was Jeremiah.” John continued sipping the hot coffee. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he listened to her.

  “And in Northcrest after the church service one Sunday, a man told Doctor Ashton and me about his plan to build an electric motor. He said his grandfather had written that his grandfather told him about an electric motor he saw as a boy in America. I don’t remember his name, and I cannot ask Doctor Ashton. He only wakes long enough to eat. He may not remember even if I asked him.” The thought of Doctor Ashton’s condition brought a wave of grief. Lydia looked down at her hands. “I feel I should go and warn those men not to continue their experiments.”

  John reached out and put his hand on top of hers. “I do not like to see you burdened like this, Lydia. We will let Connor know about these mentions of electric experiments, but this matter is not for you to fret over. You have your own responsibilities. This village needs you to focus on your work.” She looked at him then, and his lips curved in a gentle smile when her eyes met his. “It may seem like an accident to him, but I believe Connor landed here for a purpose. Since he understands these matters of technology, we will allow him to do the work.”

  Lydia turned her head and looked out the kitchen window; her focus blurred as she considered what her father said. She found comfort in the notion that Connor came into their lives for a purpose; still he would need her help if he went to other villages. He would not know whom to speak to or how to approach them. Her father said the task would be Connor’s work. John may not agree, but she still felt she should go with Connor.

  Lydia glanced at Levi as he walked into the kitchen. He shuffled to the coffeepot, poured himself a cup, and then sat at the table across from her. Levi leaned on his elbows and
held the cup of coffee in both hands. Lydia watched the steam rise from his cup and wondered what her brother would think of the situation if he knew. Too mentally preoccupied to eat, Lydia went to the sink to busy herself with dishes.

  * * *

  As Connor left the guestroom, he walked as quietly as he could past Isabella’s bedroom. He did not know if she were awake yet, and he wanted to talk to John before anyone else went to breakfast. He stepped through the hallway and into the living room without making a sound. As he passed the staircase, he heard the murmurs in the kitchen and realized he was too late.

  Connor was grateful for the Colburns’ hospitality, but he found it awkward to be a houseguest—and this situation took awkwardness to a whole new level. Though John was graciously hospitable, Levi seemed to hate him, Bethany appeared to have a crush on him, and the old lady thought he had a speech impediment. And then there was Lydia. He had spent most of the night lying flat on his back staring at the ceiling thinking about her. He had envisioned the dance they shared, the light in her eyes when she saw the telescope set up on the bluffs, and the feel of her close to him—trusting him—as they walked on the path through the dark forest.

  Connor stopped in the living room to tuck in his shirt and reminded himself to concentrate on the matter he needed to discuss with John—the possibility of electronic signals being produced within the Land. He walked into the kitchen but slowed his pace when Lydia, Levi, and John all looked at him. The only sound in the room came from the crackle of gray leaf woodchips in the stove’s firebox.

  Connor glanced at each person as he stepped to the table. Levi wore a scowl and promptly looked at Lydia, who was standing by the kitchen sink cleaning something. John nodded cordially to Connor and began to refill his coffee cup. Lydia came to the table without saying a word and sat in the chair beside Connor. He passed her the breadbasket, and she accepted it but set it in the center of the table without taking anything to eat. Connor wondered if she had already eaten or if something were wrong. He noticed she had her bottom lip trapped between her teeth as she tapped one finger on the table’s edge with nervous repetition. Connor watched her for a moment, but he looked away when he felt Levi’s glare.

  As Connor began to eat, Isabella inched into the kitchen. She whacked the table leg with her cane and put her hand out precisely on the back of her chair. With his plan to speak to John alone temporarily foiled, Connor reached for the coffeepot and decided to wait until after breakfast to mention Lydia’s knowledge of electrical experiments in the Land.

  “Good morning,” Isabella said. Connor knew this was her daily ritual to see who was at the table before she sat down. Each person in turn was to say Good Morning, Aunt Isabella. Since Levi was seated to her right, he responded first, then John. Lydia responded and nudged Connor for his reluctant greeting.

  “Good morning, Isabella.” He waited for whatever comment was sure to come.

  “Good morning, Connor. You made quite an impression with your waltz last night. From the way the old women spoke, I am certain you caused many pleasant dreams. They said you were an adept dancer and effortlessly rhythmic.” The silence in the room was deafening. Isabella’s eyes roamed, and she chuckled. “Am I the only person here with a pulse?”

  Lydia poured a glass of juice and put it in Isabella’s waiting hand. “The Fosters’ party was pleasant, Aunt Isabella. What would you like to eat this morning?”

  “Just an egg, darling,” Isabella answered.

  Though Isabella was capable of getting her own breakfast, she seemed to like Lydia’s attention. Connor watched as Lydia peeled the eggshell. She set the boiled egg on her aunt’s plate. Afterward, Lydia stepped to the sink. Connor glanced over his shoulder at her. Since she was not eating, he wondered if she were also waiting to speak to John. John pushed his empty plate away and picked up his coffee cup. He leaned back in his chair and looked at Connor. Levi was also sitting in front of an empty plate. His occasional impatient sigh broke the silence.

  “Good heavens, people!” Isabella scoffed. “Are we listening for a bird to sing?” She chewed her last bite of egg and reached for her cane. “It’s always this way after a night of revelry—no one has the strength for conversation.” She stood holding her cane and tapped it along the edge of the hearth as she left the room.

  John leaned forward and watched Isabella walk into the parlor. “Lydia, come sit down.” He propped his elbows on the table as Lydia walked back to the table. Levi stood. John reached up and touched his son’s arm. “Stay,” he commanded, and Levi sat back down.

  John’s eyes scanned the three of them. “Since Connor’s arrival he has carefully studied the Land and our history. He has a great knowledge of the sky and technology and science. For the past several nights he has been out charting the stars. It has come to his attention that there is something in the atmosphere that he believes helps keep the Land hidden from the rest of the world. This appears to be a great blessing from God, considering the condition of the world at present. However, Connor’s observations have indicated that if people in the Land ever develop certain technologies—using electric devices—we could be detected by other nations. He says if the Land were invaded, other nations would likely consume or destroy our resources. When Lydia traveled she heard mentions of experiments with electricity.” He looked at Connor. “Do you believe this must be stopped to ensure our survival?”

  “Yes, sir, I do.”

  “Are you willing to assist us in alerting the other villages?”

  “Yes, sir.” Connor did not hesitate.

  John nodded. “Then you must go to the elders in each village and speak to them about this matter.”

  Lydia shifted in her seat. “The news of an outsider in the Land will be a disturbance in our own village, let alone other villages. We don’t know how people will react to Connor’s message. I will go with him.”

  John shook his head. “You cannot go.”

  “He cannot go alone!” she protested, drawing a disgusted look from Levi.

  John looked at her. “Your village needs you here, Lydia. You cannot go. And I cannot leave the village for a journey of that length.” He turned his head a degree toward his son. “Levi, you must go with him.”

  John’s announcement stunned Connor, and by the chorus of raised eyebrows and darting glances, Connor knew Lydia and Levi were surprised as well.

  John seemed to perceive their trepidation. He shifted toward Levi and motioned with his hands as he spoke. “The overseers will receive you because you are my son. You can introduce Connor and verify his message to the elders. I have seen Connor work diligently to protect us since the moment he learned of the Land. It appears he has no way to return to his people, so he has made it his personal mission to ensure the Land is not invaded.”

  Connor waited for refusal, but Levi was silent. Levi pushed both hands through his hair, leaned back in his seat, and audibly exhaled. They all waited for his response, and he seemed to know it. He stared at his hands as he drummed his fingers on the table’s edge. Finally, he looked at his father. “I do not share your trust in Connor. However, if I go with him I will be able to keep my eye on him. Fine. I will go.”

  “Thank you, Levi,” John said. “You should leave tomorrow. I will write letters of introduction for Connor and explain that he came to the Land by accident and cannot safely depart. I will mention he is a knowledgeable man of the sciences and has information that may enable the Land to remain at peace. Levi, put the top on the wagon today. You should embark to the southern villages first, as it will be cold there soon. We can plan your journey this evening. Lydia, if you are free this afternoon, please ready provisions for their journey.”

  “I will, Father. But there is a matter to attend to in Good Springs first…” Lydia’s cheeks flushed and she looked down at her fingers. Connor watched her while she wiped her hands on her dress. It was like she was trying to clean something that was not dirty. “There’s the matter of Frank Roberts.”

&nbs
p; Levi threw both palms into the air. “What does that pervert have to do with anything?”

  John ignored his son’s reaction and turned to Connor. “Have you found the device yet?”

  Connor shook his head. “No, sir. I saw Frank with my boots, so I know he was there at my arrival. I need to search his cabin.”

  “Very well. I will permit it because there is evidence against him and for the safety of the Land. But you must only remove the electronic device. Leave everything else just as you find it. I prefer you enter his home while he is not there. We must avoid violence.”

  “He will be at the market this morning,” Levi said. “He is always there on Saturday mornings, lurking about, hoping to see Lydia.”

  Lydia pressed her fingers to her temple. “The thought makes me ill, but Levi is right: I should go to the market. Levi and I will stay there long enough that Connor has time to go and search Frank’s cabin.”

  Connor and Levi nodded in agreement. John tapped his fingertips on the table and studied each of them. “Very well. When you see Frank at the market, Connor, go search his cabin for the device and be quick about it. If a villager needs Lydia’s attention, Levi, you stay where you can observe Frank until Connor returns to you.” John stood and looked down at them. “I trust each of you will give your best effort for the Land. Now if you will excuse me,” John grinned, “I have bread to bake.”

  * * *

  As Connor and Levi walked out the back door, Lydia held up a finger. “I will be right there. I want to check on Aunt Isabella before we go.” She turned and hurried toward her great-aunt’s bedroom. But as Lydia stepped into the parlor, she saw her aunt sitting in the armchair around the corner from the kitchen. “Aunt Isabella! How long have you been here?”

  “Long enough. Not to worry though, dear girl. I have heard a lifetime of secrets in this house, and I have kept them all.”