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He’d been back for nearly two weeks now, and still, he relished England’s colder weather as opposed to the sweltering heat he’d been constantly confronted with in the West Indies.
“I am, my lord,” he said, opening his satchel.
He pulled out a thick stack of unbound, printed pages and extended them. “The proof, to be printed and bound upon delivery of your signature. On time, as promised.”
Lord Blackstone gave a slight exclamation of delight as he accepted the pages, making space for them on his desk.
“I have eagerly awaited this moment, Branok,” Lord Blackstone said, swiftly thumbing through the large stack of papers Henry had spent weeks writing.
“As have I, sir.”
Even more than you, he added for only himself.
Henry had spent October through February in the West Indies, exploring every inch of the land and sky, recording every detail about every bird he witnessed to be ready for this moment.
After suffering nearly seven weeks at sea returning to England to deliver these pages to Lord Blackstone, Henry was more than ready to have his work seen by others.
“When will the book be printed?” Lord Blackstone asked.
“A week from approval, as discussed.”
Lord Blackstone nodded, pleased.
Years ago, he’d arranged for the publisher and printer to deliver the books in a swift manner in exchange for a sizeable donation from the viscount. The volumes of work were hardly bestsellers—people preferred fiction to research—so the companies would never consider publishing them otherwise.
The viscount adored seeing his name in printed form, whether he did any writing or not, so he would stop at nothing to keep the books going.
“Quite a thick collection,” Lord Blackstone observed. “Larger than Gibraltar’s.”
That wasn’t difficult.
Henry’s excursion to Gibraltar in 1814 had ended in two hundred and fifty-seven species of birds observed with at least forty of them he’d never seen before.
“Much larger, my lord. It includes observations for nearly five hundred species—including two hundred birds I hadn’t recorded until now.”
“Spectacular,” Lord Blackstone mused, nearing the end of the papers. “Though I can see from these birds that South Africa has still provided you with the most diverse list.”
Henry had been sent out on eight excursions now in the last five years, and each location varied more than the last.
Perhaps if the viscount and other wealthy members of the ton would cease killing, disfiguring, and stuffing birds for their own vanity, there would be more birds to find and observe.
He drew a deep breath, soothing his own ruffled feathers. “Not quite as large or diverse, but still a success.”
“Oh, quite, quite,” Lord Blackstone said distractedly. “I meant no offense, of course. Nearly five hundred is still quite a feat. Ah, here we are.”
He reached the final page—the title page Henry had purposely slipped to the back of the stack.
His eyes dropped to the bottom of the paper, and a small smile thinned his lips. Lord Blackstone had obviously found what he’d been searching for.
A Compilation of Birds Observed
Vol. VIII
Containing the Description of Birds
as Found in the West Indies
by H. Branok
