A thin woman with a sharp face and her hair back in a tight knot answered the door. “The professor is in the basement. He left word you were to go right down. It's the second door on the left in the hall.”
“Thank you, ma'am.” Edward handed her his coat and hat, and Charlie followed suit. He trailed Edward into the hall and down the stairs to a stone-lined basement.
“Too much like a dungeon down here,” he said.
“Imagination, Charles.” Edward knocked on the metal door.
It swung open to reveal a dark-haired man of average height, wearing a leather apron, rubber soled shoes and long heavy gloves, almost gauntlets. He pushed the protective goggles up on his forehead and smiled at them.
“Lord Withycombe, welcome. And this must be Mr. Doyle. Nigel has told me all about you and I've quite looked forward to meeting you. Do come in.”
Charlie shot Edward a glance, trying to convey his distress at having been discussed by Nigel Drake. He walked into the laboratory and jumped when the door swung shut behind him.
Tables and more tables, laden with an astonishing variety of clock parts, tools, hardware, test-tubes and beakers, alcohol burners, leyden jars and other random junk filled the room. Charlie had no idea what most of it did.
“Has Nigel told you of our purpose?” Professor Zimmer adjusted an alcohol flame under a simmering flask of something blue and then took off the gloves and goggles. He hung the apron on the back of an easy chair and invited Charlie and Edward to have a seat on the rather battered looking horsehair settee.
“Not really. He said you wished to test some equipment.” Edward looked around as he reached for his pipe. “Is it safe to smoke in here?”
“Not for you, no, my lord. Quite safe for the experiments.” Zimmer chuckled at his own joke. “I have been working on several prototype items for His Majesty's service. I want to test them under the most extreme possible condition so I have arranged an arctic expedition through the graces of your wife.”
Edward rolled his eyes and Charlie caught it. Sarah Brown, Edward's jilted fiancee, had no qualms about presenting herself as his wife.
“I'm sorry, my lord. You didn't know?”
“I am unmarried,” Edward said. “Miss Brown is not my wife, whatever she may have told you. However, the expedition sounds quite intriguing.”
“I hope it will be. We shall be testing a number of inventions.”
“Arctic,” Charlie put in. “Will we be going by boat?” He felt ill at the mere prospect. Being on a boat was his private circle of Hell.
Professor Zimmer laughed. “Not at all. I have a hovercraft I am most enthused to test. I've significantly improved Muller's design and we should get a top speed of forty knots, instead of his thirty-two.”
Edward feigned interest as Zimmer rambled about air-cushions and hydrofoils. Charlie looked around and made notes. If nothing else, he could write it up and sell it as a pulp adventure.
When the professor's tone changed, Charlie paid closer attention. He seemed less sure of himself now, talking about the logistics of the expedition.
Edward took over very smoothly. “Leave that to us.”
“Have you made an Arctic expedition, Lord Withycombe?” Zimmer pushed his glasses up on his nose and the look of skepticism on his face dropped Charlie's opinion of him a couple notches.
“No. But I have friends and acquaintances who have. I planned to chat with them in the next week and begin assembling the gear.”
“Very good.” Zimmer handed him a list. “I've taken the liberty of doing much the same. However, I would be interested in how this compares to your adventurous friends' suggestions.”
Edward glanced at the list and handed it over to Charlie. “Keep track of that for me, will you Charles?”
“Yes, sir.” Charlie read over the list before folding it away.
“Now,” Edward settled back in his chair, “about my pay.”
“Pay?” Professor Zimmer looked stunned. “But my lord, please remember I was under the impression you were funding this.”
“Pay will be taken care of, Edward, darling.”
The door swung soundlessly shut behind Sarah and her henchmen. Nigel looked smug and proper and the large American, Vince, looked like he'd rather be someplace more entertaining. Sarah swept through the workshop, her easy grace enabling her to miss all the overhanging bits and pieces. Vince sent one pile crashing to the floor and Professor Zimmer winced even as he stood in the presence of a lady. Edward did not trouble himself to rise, so Charlie stayed seated.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
