Read Online Unobtainium 1: Kate on a Hot Tin Roof by Niall Teasdale - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Niall Teasdale
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roost, Lilian?’ Charles asked. Calling her ‘grandmother’ had been known to leave bruises.
‘I saw Kate going out to the reactor building an hour ago. She will return shortly and I wish to spend time with the people I like before I have to put up with the conversation at dinner.’
Antonia suppressed a smirk with some difficulty. ‘Perhaps you could be of assistance. Do you know whether your husband had any books on zoology?’
‘Try the small library on the top floor. Not an area he studied extensively, more of a rocks man, but he had a few books on animals. They’d have been kept in with the other random purchases. The man never could resist a book.’
The door opened once more and Kate came in. She saw Lilian sitting by the window, paused, and then bobbed a polite curtsey. Lilian’s eyes narrowed and Kate grinned brightly at her. ‘Good afternoon, Lilian. It is a pleasure to see you down from your rooms.’
‘Impertinent girl. Come here and give me a kiss before I think you’ve forgotten everything I taught you.’
Kate almost skipped across to kiss Lilian’s cheek before sitting down nearby.
‘Have you been corrupting my ward, Lilian?’ Charles asked. Lilian was well known for her views on the role of women in society. Indeed, it had been her efforts which had finally allowed women into the Barstow Club and she had been very happy indeed when it had been concluded that the fairer sex were the best operators for the Mechman devices.
‘I have not. Kate is a naturally independent young lady and needs no encouragement from me. I have simply been teaching her that formality should be kept for those who deserve and require it, or for when it makes life less bothersome than familiarity. Neither of which applies here. And she delights in testing my patience by showing me deference, which is an adorable feature in and of itself.’ She turned to Kate and asked, ‘Are you well, child?’
‘I am, though if I was affected by the radiation it is unlikely to show for several hours.’
‘You’ve become something of an expert on that yourself, I see,’ Antonia commented.
‘Not an expert, far from it, but Sharles has taught me some small part of the handling of Unobtainium and its uses.’
‘I thought, given her circumstances, that it would be wise,’ Charles said.
‘And it is an interesting subject though I could work for decades and never scratch the surface of what Sharles knows.’
‘Yes, almost certainly,’ Lilian agreed, ‘but then “Sharles” always did have a brain too big for his head. What did Georgina have to say this time?’
‘Oh…’ Charles frowned. ‘Have you been swimming in the lake at night, Kate?’
‘I… Well, yes, but I wait until everyone else is asleep and only when it is warm.’
‘Georgina has apparently seen you, though I cannot imagine how. Her rooms don’t overlook the lake.’
Lilian gave a throaty chuckle. ‘They don’t, but Gall’s do.’
‘The footman?’
‘Handsome young man, don’t you think? Georgina certainly does.’
‘Lilian!’ Antonia said and then shrugged. ‘Not that I’m entirely surprised, but still.’
‘I merely offer an explanation for her ability to see through walls. You keep swimming, Kate. If Georgina objects, I’ll have a word with her.’ She grinned a little maliciously. ‘It won’t be a polite word.’
1 st June.
The fresh air of the morning filled Kate’s lungs as she marched out into the hills, calming her thoughts and stilling the heat within her. She turned, looking down on the hall, and felt none of the conflict which had filled her since she had awoken during the night.
Then her petticoat rubbed against her leg and she winced. Lifting the heavy fabric of her skirt away from her thigh helped, but it would be days before the stupid burn healed properly. She had woken in the night with the smarting pain of the damaged skin against her sheets and after that sleeping had been almost impossible. She had
‘I saw Kate going out to the reactor building an hour ago. She will return shortly and I wish to spend time with the people I like before I have to put up with the conversation at dinner.’
Antonia suppressed a smirk with some difficulty. ‘Perhaps you could be of assistance. Do you know whether your husband had any books on zoology?’
‘Try the small library on the top floor. Not an area he studied extensively, more of a rocks man, but he had a few books on animals. They’d have been kept in with the other random purchases. The man never could resist a book.’
The door opened once more and Kate came in. She saw Lilian sitting by the window, paused, and then bobbed a polite curtsey. Lilian’s eyes narrowed and Kate grinned brightly at her. ‘Good afternoon, Lilian. It is a pleasure to see you down from your rooms.’
‘Impertinent girl. Come here and give me a kiss before I think you’ve forgotten everything I taught you.’
Kate almost skipped across to kiss Lilian’s cheek before sitting down nearby.
‘Have you been corrupting my ward, Lilian?’ Charles asked. Lilian was well known for her views on the role of women in society. Indeed, it had been her efforts which had finally allowed women into the Barstow Club and she had been very happy indeed when it had been concluded that the fairer sex were the best operators for the Mechman devices.
‘I have not. Kate is a naturally independent young lady and needs no encouragement from me. I have simply been teaching her that formality should be kept for those who deserve and require it, or for when it makes life less bothersome than familiarity. Neither of which applies here. And she delights in testing my patience by showing me deference, which is an adorable feature in and of itself.’ She turned to Kate and asked, ‘Are you well, child?’
‘I am, though if I was affected by the radiation it is unlikely to show for several hours.’
‘You’ve become something of an expert on that yourself, I see,’ Antonia commented.
‘Not an expert, far from it, but Sharles has taught me some small part of the handling of Unobtainium and its uses.’
‘I thought, given her circumstances, that it would be wise,’ Charles said.
‘And it is an interesting subject though I could work for decades and never scratch the surface of what Sharles knows.’
‘Yes, almost certainly,’ Lilian agreed, ‘but then “Sharles” always did have a brain too big for his head. What did Georgina have to say this time?’
‘Oh…’ Charles frowned. ‘Have you been swimming in the lake at night, Kate?’
‘I… Well, yes, but I wait until everyone else is asleep and only when it is warm.’
‘Georgina has apparently seen you, though I cannot imagine how. Her rooms don’t overlook the lake.’
Lilian gave a throaty chuckle. ‘They don’t, but Gall’s do.’
‘The footman?’
‘Handsome young man, don’t you think? Georgina certainly does.’
‘Lilian!’ Antonia said and then shrugged. ‘Not that I’m entirely surprised, but still.’
‘I merely offer an explanation for her ability to see through walls. You keep swimming, Kate. If Georgina objects, I’ll have a word with her.’ She grinned a little maliciously. ‘It won’t be a polite word.’
1 st June.
The fresh air of the morning filled Kate’s lungs as she marched out into the hills, calming her thoughts and stilling the heat within her. She turned, looking down on the hall, and felt none of the conflict which had filled her since she had awoken during the night.
Then her petticoat rubbed against her leg and she winced. Lifting the heavy fabric of her skirt away from her thigh helped, but it would be days before the stupid burn healed properly. She had woken in the night with the smarting pain of the damaged skin against her sheets and after that sleeping had been almost impossible. She had
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