Purity by Aishling Morgan

Author:Aishling Morgan [Aishling Morgan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ebury Publishing
Published: 2000-07-06T00:00:00+00:00

Six

‘Yes, sir, Mr Watt, sir. That is most considerate of you, sir,’ Reuben Eadie said, clutching his hat to his chest.

Todd Gurney looked on with ill-concealed disgust. By ill luck the engineer had not only been in Cornwall when he had received Snapes’ order for a beam engine, but had been in a position to visit Wheal Purity. Eadie had also managed to negotiate the purchase of one of the Boulton and Watt beam engines lying idle at Dolcombe mine, and was now fawning over James Watt in an effort to get it installed by the firm.8

‘I might undertake to begin in a fortnight,’ Watt was saying. ‘Yet if you are as shallow as you say, surely your Newcomen can at least suffice for now?’

‘Not with the rain we’ve been having,’ Gurney answered. ‘She’s no sooner dry than she fills up again.’

‘I am surprised,’ Watt said. ‘Perhaps you would allow me to make an inspection?’

Gurney could think of no reason to refuse and so acquiesced, leading the way into the engine house. Inside, the old Newcomen engine was groaning and shuddering with the great beam moving slowly up and down amid clouds of steam, a most impressive sight which Gurney knew achieved almost nothing.

‘This must be the last of these working in Cornwall,’ Watt yelled over the racket. ‘You just installed it, you say?’

Gurney nodded.

‘But not well, I fear,’ Watt shouted. ‘Your valves are improperly set. You must be losing over half what little pressure you have.’

Gurney nodded again and reluctantly began to assist as the engineer made adjustments. Presently the noise and steam had abated somewhat. Watt shrugged and shook his head, then gestured them outside.

‘That should have your mine dry soon enough,’ he announced as they came out into the relative quiet of the mine site.

‘Thank you, sir, most gracious, sir,’ Eadie replied, still clutching his hat.

‘Pray don’t mention it,’ Watt replied. ‘Now, I must be on my way, but I shall send a man to supervise the disassembly of the engine at Dolcombe.’

Gurney glanced down the slope as Eadie continued to try and ingratiate himself with Watt. The outflow from the adit, which had been little more than a trickle, was now a rush, which meant the exposure of the end of the schorl seam unless he acted quickly. Glancing to the west, he wished fervently for more rain, then made for the counting house were Peggy was writing out the book for the week’s wage bill.

Peggy Wray stood up from her chair and stretched. An hour, Todd had said, or more if she could manage it. That Reuben Eadie would follow her if she went to the washing pool was in little doubt. He had done so twice before, never realising that Gurney had been aware of his every move. When Todd had told her she had been scared, but accepted his reasoning that anything that kept Eadie’s attention away from the mine was worthwhile.

Both knew that Eadie might do more than merely watch and Gurney did his best to keep an eye on him in turn.

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