22: Is It ... Hot In Here?

Chapter 22 of "A Grail for Eidothea"

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Eidothea and Jasper finish their cup of tea and bathe in the King’s Bath but actually searching for the Greal using the ring. It seems to be buried under the Baths and thus out of reach. Eidothea despairs, but Jasper refuses to give up. He and Eidothea’s father trawl the local clubs and coffee-houses for anyone who might know anything about the Baths.

16th April, 1814

Mr. Tregallas (Jasper) arrived when we were still at breakfast. We visited a local bookseller and printer that had come highly recommended, Gye & Sons.

This afternoon was filled with fripperies and fittings at Cartwrights, hatmaker, and Mme Guillame, modiste. I have promised Aunt the entire day tomorrow.

16th April, 1814

While we were still at breakfast, Jasper rejoined us. He bowed greetings and sat beside me, across from my father. My other relatives had either already broken their fast or still lay abed.

“How do we proceed today?” Jasper asked in a low voice.

I kept my gaze upon my buttered toast. I had already heard the news from my father, but I would let him tell it.

He had learned of a William Smith, a surveyor fascinated by the layers of soil which made up the earth. As an engineer, Smith had excavated around the pipes that led to the Pump Room.

“Four years ago,” my father continued, “the water level dropped until barely a trickle came out at the spigot. He was able to repair it. Smith is in town, writing a book and working on the colour plates with Mr. Cary at Gye & Sons. Shall we go and aquaint ourselves with him?”

“At once!” Jasper leapt to his feet and then subsided back into his chair. “When you are both ready, of course.”

“Of course.” I excused myself and headed upstairs where Susan helped me change into my blue walking gown.

“It’s the second time you’ve worn this, miss,” Susan ventured. “Mr. Tregallas has seen this before.”

“It will do. I do not have enough dresses to wear a different one each day.” I slipped the ring onto its chain to wear. I did not waste my time trying to explain how my attire was unimportant in the scheme of things.

I tucked the necklace beneath my sheer chemisette. I shuddered, remembering Ladon ripping past the fragile gauze and to my bosom.

Aunt Norah sailed into the room and caught my reaction. “What’s amiss? Do you have a fever?” She pressed her hand to my forehead before I answered. She sighed with relief. “I thought we may go to the dressmaker’s today. Your Aunt Millicent has given us an introduction. That is, if your crying fit last night does not mean…?”

“I was not crying over Jasper.” Of that, I was certain. “I believe the heat overwhelmed me yesterday. You have no idea how hot the water is. Mr. Tregallas is downstairs waiting for me. Could we go to the dressmaker’s this afternoon?”

Aunt Norah nodded. “I will go through your gowns. It would be nice to refresh one for the celebrations on Monday.”

I agreed and forestalled Susan from following me from the room. “Mr. Pendyr will be my chaperone this morning. I have taken up far too much of your time already.”

We made our way to Gye & Sons, a bookseller and printer. Situated in the lower part of the city, it stood behind the Christopher Inn. I soon discovered my father had spoken to the bookseller himself.

Father introduced Jasper as “my future son-in-law. You must have heard of the many business concerns of his family.”

Mr. Gye had and bowed. “Mr. Pendyr said you had a passion for geology and geography—“ He did not see the startled look Jasper sent my father, “—and we are much interested in investing in Mr. Smith’s life work.”

Jasper smiled. “Of course. I was thrilled to hear Mr. Smith was actually in town. I hear he travels widely.”

“Indeed he does. He has just returned from the Minismere marshes. Please peruse my shelves while we wait for him. I am sure a few volumes will interest you.”

Jasper nodded with a slight bow. He winked at me. He had remembered well all the background Father had told us on the way over.

“Do you have any history?” I asked.

Mr Gye attended to me. “Ah yes, Miss ….?”

“My daughter.” Father frowned.

Bowing his apology at asking for the introduction, Mr. Gye gestured to another set of bookshelves.

We did not have to wait long. A very tall, then man entered, doffing his hat and heading directly to the back of the bookshop. Mr. Gye called him back and made the introductions.

Jasper told him of his interest in Mr. Smith’s work and he treated us to a lecture on both the layers of the earth and the layers of bureaucracy in arranging a decent printing.

“The difficulty is in the colour plates,” opined Smith. “Mr. Gye here has one of the best in his employ at true and precise colour reproduction.”

I had attended him in quiet awe but my patience grew thin. His extraordinary work held many unfamiliar terms and all I wanted was to learn more about the King’s Bath. I tried adulation. “Oh, Mr. Smith! I could listen to you for hours but alas I have promised to attend to my aunt. We are here in Bath to gather a few things for my wedding.” I laid a hand on Jasper’s forearm, which was elegantly draped across his waist. “Is it possible to engage you for a tour?”

“There are plenty of locations to view the earth’s strata.” Mr. Smith looked a little puzzled by my request.

“What about underground?”

Mr. Smith paused. “I am not sure that is possible.”

Jasper intervened. “Did I not hear you completed some excavation work by the Baths? I suppose you filled in those tunnels?”

“On the contrary. They asked me to leave a section accessible in case we needed to redirect the water supply again. However, it is a restrictive space. Miss Pendyr, you might find it a bit too close for your feminine taste.”

I doubted that. “Did you see any stratification while you where there?”

“Of course, but—“

“To witness what so few have seen would be a great honour, as would reading your treatise on the subject. Tell me, is it nearing completion?”

This launched Mr. Smith once more into a litany of woes on the difficulties of publishing and lithography.

Jasper took an opening to offer to invest in his work. “However,” Jasper added, “I would be inclined to invest further funds if you would humour my fiancèe and I with that underground tour.”

Mr. Smith stared at him. Had Jasper been too blatant and offended the man?

“Perhaps late tomorrow evening so we shall not disturb others?” Jasper pressed.

Mr. Smith chewed his lip and at last nodded. “It could be done, and such a small favour in the face of such generosity, Mr. Tregallas.”

I again made my excuses and left it to Jasper and Father to make the final arrangements.

17th April, 1814

Purchases made: trims to update existing gowns and bonnets, cloth for a new gown. Aunt is trying to convince me to purchase some filmy wedding night attire.

The nightgown and wrap remind me of the robes I wear in Caer Morgana, flowing and somewhat translucent.

When everyone retired for the evening, Father and I slipped out. The waning moon did not give much light, nor did Father’s lantern.

Jasper waited for us on the narrow paved footpath. He held up a lantern as we descended the stairs.

“I should go with you,” Father said. “But the idea of being under the earth is not one with which I wish to consort. I will walk with you to the Pump Room and wait for your return there.”

We walked downhill. Our footsteps resounded on the quiet, deserted streets. Our progress went unchallenged. Mr. Smith and another man waited for us outside the Classical facade of the Pump Room.

Mr. Smith gestured and led us a few steps further to the shopfront of Mr. Meyler, printer. Removing a large key from his pocket, he murmured, “Mr. Meyler has of course granted us permission. He only asks that we do not touch any of his machines.

A set of narrow stairs led us to the lower level of the printers. “These are the vaults under the Pump Room. I suggest,” he continued, “that you remove your cloaks and jackets. The space below us is as hot as the Baths’ water.” He and the other man worked at lifting a large tile from the floor.

I removed my cloak and pelisse that covered a simple white day dress.

Mr. Smith looked up. “That will not stay white for long. Are you sure about this, Miss Pendyr?”

“Quite sure, Mr. Smith. Lead the way.”

Next to me, Jasper stood in shirtsleeves and breeches. “The ring?” he whispered.

I slipped it free from its concealment in my bodice, the ring dangling from its chain. “It is always with me.” It glowed and from Jasper’s awed expression, I knew he saw something of the glow also. I tucked it away before the others saw.

“If you are ready…” Mr. Smith crossed the small distance to us. “My man’s already down there, Miss Pendyr, so if you slip on the ladder, he will catch you.”

I nodded, my gaze traveling over the small stack of marble tiles and the dark hole in the floor. A faint glow came from it, belonging to the man’s lantern.

“Perhaps I should go first,” Jasper suggested, and started down the ladder before I could protest.

I followed after, with Mr, Smith descending last. He carried another lantern.

At the foot of the ladder, we rearranged our order. Mr. Smith’s man remained by the ladder, keeping a lantern with him. Mr. Smith led the way down the narrow tunnel, followed by myself and Jasper, in single file.

Almost at once, I wished I had not come. The air, stale, close and hot, suffocated. It stank like the water I had tasted earlier: brackish, metallic. The moist walls of the tunnel gleamed in the lamplight.

I wanted to escape this fever dream, but I was trapped between two men — and I also had a quest to fulfil. There was no way but forward.

Trying to steady my frightened breaths, I paused. Jasper’s hand landed on my shoulder, startling me, and trailed down my arm to take my hand. His thumb rubbed over my palm. At his comforting touch, I breathed a little easier.

The tunnel slanted downward, large wooden pit props braced against wall and ceiling.

Eventually, Mr. Smith halted. “This is as far as it goes. The spring’s channel is buried in that corner.” He raised his lantern, revealing the roughly hewn walls. He gestured to the wall nearest us. “Mr. Tregallas, if you could add your lantern?”

Jasper held it up. Mr. Smith began his lecture, pointing out the various layers. He omitted a layer that consisted of tumbled rock.

“But what is that layer?” I asked. “A river bed?”

Mr. Smith sent me a pitying smile, made grotesque in the flickering lantern light. “Just rubbish from past occupants, Miss Pendyr, Not worth noticing. You can see how it disrupted…”

I slipped the ring free of my neckline, letting Mr. Smith drone. He did not register the additional light source, much to my relief, but I heard Jasper’s sharp intake of breath.

Mr. Smith regarded the wall. “Yes, Mr. Tregallas it is a wonder…”

Popping in to let you know Mr. Smith, Mr. Gye and Mr. Meyler are all apparently real people! I don’t know if they are anything like how Eidothea portrays them but I found a biography on Mr. Smith (he’s apparently quite famous in the geological world) and found a listing of two printers who go by the names of Gye and Meyler.

You can find Mr. Smith’s biography from 1844 on Google Books.

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