Read Online The Lady Astronomer by Katy O'Dowd - Free Book Online
Authors: Katy O'Dowd
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missive-carrying avians including doves, owls, and pigeons
are in uproar. Or so I’ve been told.”
Lucretia carefully broke the seal on the
letter, and it sighed and wound down, the key having come away as the dark
embossed wax cracked.
She read the note once and then twice, and
her hand went to her mouth.
“What day is it?”
“It’s Thursday, why?”
“Oh, arse! It’s a bloody letter from
the king! He wrote to tell us that he was coming to see how we were getting on
with the Great Forty Foot! And the letter got stuck and has obviously been here
for days! Arse! Freddie!” She ran out of the room in a turn of speed that
surprised both herself and O the Younger, who followed her, wig in hand.
*
Freddie was in the Astronomy room, writing
furiously. The time had come to hire workmen, and he was calculating how much
labour would be needed. How much wood, how much brass, and how much coal. A
frame to hold the huge device in place, pulleys, and an observation room under
the scope was also needed. He really had to calculate it perfectly, down to the
last cut of timber.
He had attempted to cast and polish the
huge mirrors for the telescope himself, trying and discarding, trying and
discarding, while Al stood patiently feeding the fire so it would be hot
enough. Once the mirrors had cooled, they were sprinkled with sand, and then
rubbed until they shone. But you had to be so careful. One inadvertent gouge in
the surface and that was that. It was back-and mind-numbing work and there was
no room whatsoever for error.
They finally had the perfect mirror, when
Al turned to Freddie and uttered the dreadful words: “Are you sure you
have the measurements right?”
And after that it was total chaos. Freddie’s
figures were out. Everything was a disaster. There was no more money left for
the mirrors. He would have to beg the king for
more.
Another plea to add to the list, as Freddie
worked out that the mirrors would now have to be cast in London rather than in
Slough, and travel from there by barge down the Thames.
His head started to thud.
“Freddie!” Lucretia burst into
the room, wild-eyed and panting.
“Lucretia.” He stood quickly and
went to her. “What’s the matter?”
“Letter.” She held it out to him,
arm around her waist. “Read it.”
Which he did.
“Oh, my word. What day is it today?”
“Thursday,” replied O the Younger
who had arrived a few seconds after Lucretia.
Freddie’s mouth opened and shut like a
goldfish.
“All hands to the pump! I’m going to
clean up the kitchen and make some treats so tasty that His Majesty will be
overcome with pastry pleasure.” The Younger jammed the ruined wig onto his
head and ran out of the room shouting for his mother and father.
“Where is Al? His work room is always
in perfect condition and we should line up his orchestra to play for the king
while we take afternoon tea.” Lucretia paced the room, hands clasped and
then apart again.
“Why did we not get the letter earlier,
Lucretia?”
“It’s a long story Freddie. Clockwork
letter falls through gap in floor just about sums it up for the moment though. Oh,
look at you! You need to go and change, quickly. I’ll tidy the papers here.”
“Too late.” Freddie’s voice shook
and she followed his finger as it pointed to the view outside their window. The
king was alighting from his carriage, the royal puddle coverer holding his cape
over the ground lest his most royal of royals step into anything unspeakable.
“Arse!”
The king looked at the window and gave the royal
wave, while Lucretia waved back weakly, sincerely hoping he had not heard her.
She flew once more from the room, to warn the O’s and to try to make it out to
Al.
“Don’t leave me! What will I do?”
Freddie’s wail reached her and she turned back.
“Just keep him distracted, you’re good
at waffling on.”
*
“And, so, Your Majesty, in summation,
I require some more funding from the royal
are in uproar. Or so I’ve been told.”
Lucretia carefully broke the seal on the
letter, and it sighed and wound down, the key having come away as the dark
embossed wax cracked.
She read the note once and then twice, and
her hand went to her mouth.
“What day is it?”
“It’s Thursday, why?”
“Oh, arse! It’s a bloody letter from
the king! He wrote to tell us that he was coming to see how we were getting on
with the Great Forty Foot! And the letter got stuck and has obviously been here
for days! Arse! Freddie!” She ran out of the room in a turn of speed that
surprised both herself and O the Younger, who followed her, wig in hand.
*
Freddie was in the Astronomy room, writing
furiously. The time had come to hire workmen, and he was calculating how much
labour would be needed. How much wood, how much brass, and how much coal. A
frame to hold the huge device in place, pulleys, and an observation room under
the scope was also needed. He really had to calculate it perfectly, down to the
last cut of timber.
He had attempted to cast and polish the
huge mirrors for the telescope himself, trying and discarding, trying and
discarding, while Al stood patiently feeding the fire so it would be hot
enough. Once the mirrors had cooled, they were sprinkled with sand, and then
rubbed until they shone. But you had to be so careful. One inadvertent gouge in
the surface and that was that. It was back-and mind-numbing work and there was
no room whatsoever for error.
They finally had the perfect mirror, when
Al turned to Freddie and uttered the dreadful words: “Are you sure you
have the measurements right?”
And after that it was total chaos. Freddie’s
figures were out. Everything was a disaster. There was no more money left for
the mirrors. He would have to beg the king for
more.
Another plea to add to the list, as Freddie
worked out that the mirrors would now have to be cast in London rather than in
Slough, and travel from there by barge down the Thames.
His head started to thud.
“Freddie!” Lucretia burst into
the room, wild-eyed and panting.
“Lucretia.” He stood quickly and
went to her. “What’s the matter?”
“Letter.” She held it out to him,
arm around her waist. “Read it.”
Which he did.
“Oh, my word. What day is it today?”
“Thursday,” replied O the Younger
who had arrived a few seconds after Lucretia.
Freddie’s mouth opened and shut like a
goldfish.
“All hands to the pump! I’m going to
clean up the kitchen and make some treats so tasty that His Majesty will be
overcome with pastry pleasure.” The Younger jammed the ruined wig onto his
head and ran out of the room shouting for his mother and father.
“Where is Al? His work room is always
in perfect condition and we should line up his orchestra to play for the king
while we take afternoon tea.” Lucretia paced the room, hands clasped and
then apart again.
“Why did we not get the letter earlier,
Lucretia?”
“It’s a long story Freddie. Clockwork
letter falls through gap in floor just about sums it up for the moment though. Oh,
look at you! You need to go and change, quickly. I’ll tidy the papers here.”
“Too late.” Freddie’s voice shook
and she followed his finger as it pointed to the view outside their window. The
king was alighting from his carriage, the royal puddle coverer holding his cape
over the ground lest his most royal of royals step into anything unspeakable.
“Arse!”
The king looked at the window and gave the royal
wave, while Lucretia waved back weakly, sincerely hoping he had not heard her.
She flew once more from the room, to warn the O’s and to try to make it out to
Al.
“Don’t leave me! What will I do?”
Freddie’s wail reached her and she turned back.
“Just keep him distracted, you’re good
at waffling on.”
*
“And, so, Your Majesty, in summation,
I require some more funding from the royal
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