“At Oxford, there’s an upstart American on a two-year fellowship to Merton College who’s a brilliant theorist and has an expertise in the sort of functions shown here,” he finally said. “But to my knowledge, he’s never shown any sign of being mechanical minded.”
“Nonetheless, I’d be grateful for his name,” said Wrexford.
“I don’t know it. He signs his scientific papers simply as JRE,” answered Hedley. “However, I’ve heard he’s related to a cadet branch of the Marlborough family, so it shouldn’t be difficult to learn.”
“Anyone else?”
“Sorry, but I really can’t offer anyone else who might be capable of such advanced thinking.”
“Thank you.” The earl rerolled the drawings. “I appreciate your time.”
Sheffield was still engrossed in studying the steam-powered engine. “You say you envision this machine moving people and goods, Hedley?”
“Yes!” The engineer’s face took on a dreamy expression. “Mark my words, it will be the transportation of the future. I’ve already built a full-scale model prototype, and we’re testing it at Wylam Colliery. Today I’ve just been tinkering with a slight modification.”
Wrexford stepped carefully over the metal rails, ducking through a plume of steam that was wafting up from the water boiling over a large spirit lamp near the door. “Puffing Billy certainly looks to have great promise. I wish you good fortune with its development.”
“I just need to make a few adjustments to the piston rods . . .”
“Come along, Kit. Let us leave Hedley to his work.”
Sheffield reluctantly rose. But as Wrexford reached for the door latch, Hedley’s murmurings suddenly trailed off. “Wait! A thought just occurred to me. There’s one other name I can give you.” The engineer made an uncertain face. “But I have to warn you, he’s rather . . . odd.”
The earl allowed a small smile. “I thought that was a given with those whose minds are immersed in a world of abstract numbers and what abstruse things they might mean.”
“Just so,” agreed Hedley. “But in a fellowship of thinkers known to be eccentric, Professor Isaac Newton Sudler is consideredexceedinglyodd.”
Wrexford raised a questioning brow.
“No question that he’s brilliant,” added the engineer. “But alas, there’s a fine line between genius and madness. I doubt . . .” A hesitation. “I don’t wish to speak ill of a colleague.”
“Please go on,” he pressed. “It may be important.”
Hedley shifted uncomfortably, a shimmering of dust motes rising up from the shoulders of his coat. “For a number of years, he held an important position at Cambridge—in Trinity College, like his famous namesake. However, he’s become a recluse and has given up his teaching duties in order to devote himself to research. And yet he’s become fanatically secretive about what he’s working on.” A cough. “I thought of him not just because of his mathematical skills but also because he’s an aficionado of automata.”
Wrexford frowned in thought.Automatawas the term used for complex mechanical devices that were made to amuse or entertain an audience through their technical sophistication. ““You mean . . . toys?”
“Some people call them that,” admitted Hedley. “Though their technical sophistication transcends such a term. Some of the more well-known examples are quite astounding in their engineering. Why, an Indian sultan possesses a life-size model of a tiger that snarls and snaps its jaws at the fallen English soldier trapped within its paws.”
“Tipu’s Tiger,” murmured Sheffield. “Yes, I’ve heard of it.”
“Impressive, yes. But one of my favorites is a silver dancer designed by John Merlin.” A laugh. “It’s truly the work of a magician. When you wind it up, it spins around the floor, doing intricate dance steps. It even winks at you.” Hedley rubbed at his jaw. “The point is, Sudler has been building automata since his undergraduate days. It began as a hobby, but then it became an obsession.”
“Interesting,” replied Wrexford softly. The information was tantalizing, but he reminded himself that it might only be sending him on a wild goose chase. “I take it Sudler can be found in his chambers at Trinity?”
“No, I heard that he moved out of the college to a private residence several years ago.” Hedley held up his hands. “And before you ask, I can’t tell you where. Nobody seems to know.”
“Again, my thanks.”
“Ha! You might wish to withdraw those words when—and if—you encounter Professor Sudler. But you did ask.”
“So I did.” For a moment, Wrexford silently cursed the sticky web of intrigue that had somehow come to entangle him and his friends.Charlotte, Sheffield, Raven. . . He hated to see them caught up in an impossible quest.
And yet he conceded, the bonds of friendship didn’t give a devil’s damn about what was reasonable or expedient.
So, no matter how far-fetched, he had no choice but to follow the clue.
CHAPTER 9
