Page 113 of The Paid Companion

Arthur had thought that the darkness would be the worst part of the business, but in the end it was the odor that bothered him the most. The smell that emanated from the enclosed riverbed was so foul that he had been forced to wrap his neckcloth around his nose and mouth to block the stench.

But at least he hadn’t had to walk along the narrow, rat-infested banks of the lost river, Arthur thought, dipping the pole back into the black water. He had found a small, shallow-bottomed boat and a pole at the secret dock beneath the old warehouse.

“Treyford kept extra boats and poles at both the entrance to the laboratory and here in the warehouse,” Lady Wilmington had explained when she had led him down into the dark basement of the abandoned building and showed him the secret underground dock. “He told me that this way he could enter or leave the laboratory through the abbey or this place, according to his whim or if it became necessary to escape due to some disaster with an experiment. Parker appears to have followed the same practice.”

The current of the murky river was sluggish, making it relatively easy to force the little boat upstream with the pole. The light from the lantern that he had positioned at the front of the craft splashed its glare across a bizarre scene.

More than once he had eased the boat around a twist in the river and had to crouch quickly to avoid an ancient footbridge.

There were other hazards in addition to the low bridges. Chunks of stone and ancient timbers had fallen into the river in places. Some projected above the waters, looming like the long-lost monuments of a dead civilization. Others were submerged and did not reveal themselves until the little boat bumped lightly against them.

He studied each fallen stone carefully as he poled past it, watching for the classical statues and the strange marble relief that Lady Wilmington had told him to use as landmarks.

“They had survived many centuries when I last saw them,” she said. “I am certain they will still be there.”

Parker checked his gold watch yet again and appeared satisfied, even eager. “Twelve-thirty. My employees will have locked St. Merryn in the cage and left by now.”

Elenora looked up at the vaulted ceiling. “I heard no sound from the rooms above this chamber.”

“The stone floors are very thick. They do not transmit any noise. That is one of this laboratory’s most admirable features. I am able to conduct experiments that produce a great deal of noise and light and no one, even if he were standing directly above, would have so much as an inkling of what is happening down here.”

“What makes you think your men will not wait and watch to see what happens?” she asked.

“Bah. They are as frightened of the old abbey as everyone else in the neighborhood. But even if their curiosity got the better of them, they would see nothing but the cage disappearing into the wall of stone behind the altar. Once the hidden panel closes, it is impossible to find the opening. They would not see the cage being lowered into this chamber.”

He reached up and turned the great iron wheel that projected from the stone wall.

A section of the ceiling slid aside, revealing a dark shaft overhead. Elenora heard the creak and rumble of heavy chain. She recognized it as the sound she had heard earlier when Parker had brought her here.

Her heart pounded. The only chance she would have to seize the rod on the workbench would be when Parker was occupied with the task of getting Arthur out of the cage.

The rattling of the chain grew louder. Elenora saw the bottom edge of the iron cage appear out of the shadows of the vault that housed the mechanism.

The tips of a pair of brilliantly polished boots came into view. Parker was riveted by the sight.

“Welcome to the laboratory of England’s second Newton, St. Merryn,” he said, never taking his eyes off the boots. The words rang with exultation and excitement.

Elenora took a step closer to the workbench. She reached out with her bound hands and picked up a heavy iron rod. There would be only one chance, she thought.

“Elenora, get down.” Arthur’s sharp command reverberated across the chamber.

She obeyed reflexively and dropped to the floor, still clutching the iron rod.

“St. Merryn.”Parker spun away from the sight of the empty boots in the cage, pistol lifting.

“No,” Elenora screamed.

The twin explosions that ensued echoed through the laboratory. The acrid stench of burnt powder wafted through the air.

The two men were still standing, she saw. The pistols had both discharged, but the distance had been too great to allow any degree of accuracy.

Both weapons were now useless until they were reloaded, but Arthur quickly drew a second pistol from his pocket. He came forward swiftly, never taking his attention off Parker.

“Elenora,” Arthur’s voice cracked across the space. “Are you all right?”

“Yes.” She got to her feet. “What about you?”

“I am unharmed.” He aimed the pistol at Parker.

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