She squeezed his arm. “You are a larger Diamond by far, my love, and I much prefer your warmth and wit to that cold stone.Plus, it’s rather dull, don’t you think? Not a hint of sparkle compared to you.”
“But I recently bought it for you.” He sighed as, momentarily, she believed him. “I guess I shall have to return it to the Queen.”
They both laughed, passing it to walk through the representation of a medieval court. But Adam’s eyes widened when they approached a tall nude statue. He stared up at the alabaster sculpture on a rotating pedestal with an orange-red canopy and matching curtain as a backdrop.
“Does it say, ‘Here stands the likeness of Lady Diamond’?” he asked, leaning over to look at the description.
“Adam!” she exclaimed, her cheeks feeling warm as she examined the unclothed female form. “Ssh!What will people think?”
“That I have seen you entirely bare, which I have, and I’ve admired the artistic beauty of every square inch, too.”
There was no stopping his innuendo, even though she’d heard his sister Purity say thatdouble entendreswere crude and a lady ought to ignore them. Alice did exactly that.
“The fact that Mr. Hiram Powers’ statue is turning so smoothly,” she insisted, “is as spectacular as the figure itself.”
“To be sure,” Adam agreed. “I’m only looking at it for its clever mechanical aspect.”
“Come along,” she said. “If you enjoy mechanics, we shall tour the industrial exhibits.”
Machines hummed and clanged, powered by a steam generator. And Alice and Adam were genuinely impressed by the hydraulic presses, the large Jacquard loom, and the self-acting spinning mule, which could do the work of many laborer’s hands.
Looking at the finer inventions and the best of what had been manufactured, they peered through microscopes, shuddered at surgical instruments, and on the second floor of the main hall—
“Look at the pianos and violins!” After Alice examined them and was given permission to play a violin that caught her eye, Adam immediately ordered one for her.
“Let’s go look at the American exhibits,” he suggested after giving the man their address.
“I cannot believe you just bought me such a precious gift.”
“Why not?” he asked, clearly pleased at her reaction. “You are a fine musician who deserves a fine instrument.”
“I cannot take in anything more,” she vowed. “Not after the violin.”
“Yes, you can. I won’t leave until they throw us out,” he said.
The American section was a little thin compared to some of the other countries. Alice couldn’t keep from laughing at the cornhusk mattress, the jars of Cincinnati pickles, and the double grand piano for four pianists, which she found ugly and unwieldy.
But the hand-cranked contraption that washed dishes, the machine for making ice, and the straight-stitch sewing machine seemed wondrous indeed.
“The Americans have become a pragmatic people, don’t you think?” she asked as her husband examined Mr. Goodyear’s extensive display.
“Pragmatic, perhaps,” Adam agreed, “but there’s no accounting for taste.” He pointed to the rubber-covered walls and the chairs coated in rubber veneer. There were even paintings done on rubber and rubber clothing.
“Rubber plates and cups, and —Good God! —rubber jewelry.” He made a face. Then he laughed. “No need to worry about losing your teeth. Here are some rubber ones!”
They were an unnatural looking, dark reddish brown of vulcanized rubber with some type of white bone or ivory stuck into it.
“Please don’t let me ever need those,” Alice prayed aloud.
They left through the open rubber curtains between the potted rubber plants on either side of the Goodyear display.
“I don’t think any of that rubber stuff will ever catch on,” Adam mused.
And then they went to a refreshment stand to enjoy some of the Messrs. Schweppes’ fizzy drinks and iced syrups before purchasing one of the exhibits most popular food items, the London Bath Bun.
At the same time, Alice and Adam took a bite from the bun, each held wrapped in a piece of wax paper.
“Too sweet,” Adam declared.
