Page 5 of Snowdrops and Winterberry
During this conversation, Adam had been convinced to accept the toy, but he didn’t seem overly sure of the thing. “What if the ball hits me?”
“It might,” Lord Jonquil said. “But it doesn’t truly hurt.”
“I don’t want to get hit.” He shoved the bilboquet back into his host’s hands, then folded his arms in a posture that was likely meant to appear authoritative but came across far closer to petulant.
Lady Jonquil rose. “Adam, what do you know of Sir Isaac Newton?”
“He was a man of science, and he is not alive anymore.”
The lady dipped her head in solemn acknowledgment. “Do you know that he developed a scientific theory that sought to explain the behavior of a toy?”
Interest entered little Adam’s eyes. “A toy?”
Lady Jonquil nodded again.
Adam looked to Lord Jonquil.
“Julia is far more intelligent than I am,” he said. “If you want the answer to a scientific question, you will need to inquire of her.” There was not a bit of jesting in his tone and not even a hint of disapproval. Indeed, he spoke with absolute pride in his voice.
“Would you like to learn more about this toy?” Lady Jonquil asked Adam.
“Yes, please.”
She opened the little chest of toys and diversions they’d brought out for Adam to enjoy. After a bit of digging, she pulled out three tops.
Adam eyed them, then her. “Tops?”
“Sir Isaac discovered a great many things about inertia and movement and gravitational forces. All these principles are part of what makes a top spin. There is much about the physical world that we do not truly understand. It is possible, in fact, that he will eventually be proven wrong in at least some of his theories. But he spent a great deal of time studying and pondering these things, and I do not think he is entirely in error.”
Lady Jonquil lifted the hem of her robe à l’anglaise and sat on the floor. The wide gown pooled around her, stiffened at the sides by her panniers. She didn’t wear as drastic a style as some ladies did. Then again, most ladies wouldn’t sit on the floor to play with a child, regardless of what they were wearing.
“If the top is still, it falls over.” She demonstrated for Adam.
Adam kneeled on the floor by her, concentrating on the toy. “You’re supposed to spin it.”
“You have used a top before.” Lord Jonquil dropped onto the floor near them both.
“Of course I have.” He sounded almost offended. His lack of familiarity with the other toys they’d suggested would make anyone wonder if he knew about toys at all.
“Centrifugal and centripetal forces are part of what makes things spin without falling over,” Lady Jonquil said, setting the top to spinning with a quick and expert flick of her fingers. “We are still learning a great deal about what keeps the top spinning.”
Adam watched, studying it. “What makes it stop?”
“Sir Isaac Newton wrote about a force he called gravity, which pulls all things toward the earth. It is believed the top falls on account of gravity,” Lady Jonquil said.
“Why doesn’t gravity knock it over while it’s spinning?”
Lord Jonquil set another top awhirl. “Centripetal and centrifugal force.”
With a firm nod, Adam declared, “This toy has a purpose. It makes cenpritipal and centrifipal force.”
Neither Lord nor Lady Jonquil corrected his mispronunciations. Robbie breathed a sigh of relief. They had made progress with the frightened little boy. If he thought they were laughing at him or thought low of him, he would close off again.
Lady Jonquil set the remaining top in front of him. “You can use this one.”
He eyed it with misgiving. Lord Jonquil laid down on the floor next to Adam and spun his top, watching it whirl. Robbie didn’t know if Lady Jonquil remained seated rather than lying down because her dress required it of her or because she wasn’t quite as spontaneous as her husband. But the lady did continueplaying with the top.
Adam nudged it a bit but didn’t try to play with it. After a moment, he hopped up and rushed to where Robbie sat.
