Less Than a Gentleman by Sparks Kerrelyn

Author:Sparks, Kerrelyn [Sparks, Kerrelyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2013-07-01T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Jacob stopped and waited for Matthias to catch up. “What do you have there?”

“Cake and rum,” Matthias muttered.

“Ah. Dottie thinks we need to be drunk to survive the night?” Jacob climbed the steps to his house.

Matthias was familiar with the whitewashed exterior of the house. He’d seen it before when visiting the mill, but he’d never been inside. A part of him was curious—this was the location of his father’s other life. Another part felt guilty. His mother would cringe if she knew he was here.

The interior was surprisingly normal, as if a real family had lived there, although he supposed Jacob had been living alone after the death of his mother.

Matthias deposited the jug and cake on a pinewood table. “Have the redcoats been here?”

“They came to the front door, looked inside, then left. Apparently, they don’t think a slave has anything worth stealing.” Still holding the lantern, Jacob opened a door on the right. “I’ll show you the workroom.”

Inside, Matthias scanned the crowded room. Tables lined the walls, covered with metal, wire, glass, and tools. A narrow bed, squeezed between two tables, jutted out into the center of the room. It was the two stools, sitting side by side, that caught Matt’s attention. Jacob and Father must have worked on projects together.

Jacob shoved some tools aside to set the lantern down. “I know it appears a mess.” He grabbed a few books off the bed and set them underneath. “But the sheets are clean.”

Matthias eyed the books. “How did you learn to read?”

“Father taught me. And he let me borrow books from his library.”

Matthias gritted his teeth. Father had hired a tutor for him and then sent him to college. He recalled his father’s parting words—I have done my duty. See that you do yours.

Father had done his duty, marrying the heiress Jane Murray and having a son. But this—Matthias looked about the workroom—this was where Father had lived.

He cleared his throat. “Where is the telescope?”

“Here.” Jacob passed him a short metal object.

It looked like a normal telescope except that the wider end curved into a ninety-degree angle. Matthias tugged on the smaller end, and the telescope lengthened in three stages of decreasing circumference. He strode to the open doorway and peered through the lens. Not only could he see around the corner, but objects were magnified.

“This is excellent.” He snapped the telescope back into its shorter size. “Do you mind if I borrow it?”

“No. Help yourself to anything here that looks like it might be useful.” Jacob selected another item. “This lantern is equipped with shutters on all four sides. Each side can be opened or shut.”

“That sounds promising.” Matthias tried the lever on one of the shutters. “I like this. I can direct the light downward if I wish.”

“Yes. Of course if you leave all the shutters closed for too long, the flame inside will die out,” Jacob said. “If you need another machine, describe what you want to do, and I’ll see what I can come up with.

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