and Warren’s touch?
She sipped her tea, far weaker than she liked as this was
the third brewing, and studied her father at the other end of the table. Once
again his shirt was wrinkled and some of the buttons closed crookedly. His hair
stood on end on the back of his head.
He looked like a young boy eager to race off to his next
adventure. The same blazing rage she’d experienced yesterday roared through
her. She balled a fist below the table. Why did she always have to be the
responsible one? Why was it her role to solve the problems he caused in
his chase for the next great invention?
Because she had made it her role.
She dropped her gaze to her cheese and crackers.
He had barely touched his lunch, the soup growing cold and
the water biscuits stale. Not to mention the cheese was drying out. Fine, if he
couldn’t appreciate his food today, he’d just have to have it again tomorrow.
She wouldn’t let anything go to waste. They couldn’t afford
it.
She rubbed her aching forehead.
Truth be told, he probably wouldn’t even notice. The rage
dissipated again as quickly as it had come to the surface. Her shoulders
slumped.
After her mother’s death all she thought of was to make
things easier for him. She’d taken on all the chores and worked hard to fix any
problems that came up. It had made her feel close to her mum and in no time at
all it had become the norm for her father. It still made her feel needed and it
was the one thing she excelled at. And by never confronting him with the
consequences of his actions, she’d basically enabled his behavior.
Now she could either continue as she had or tell her father
she posed as a nude model for a friend of the man her father hoped to impress
with his invention.
She pinched the bridge of her nose. That was not a
conversation she wanted to have. Sarah lifted her teacup only to put it back
down. After everything that had happened over the last three days she deserved
a strong cup of tea with a dash of milk.
She rose. “I’ll make more tea.”
Her father barely looked up from his technological article.
“Not for me, thank you. I’m heading out to the Hall in a few minutes.”
Her heart stopped beating. “The Hall?”
The Hall was the meeting ground for the members of the Royal
Institutes of Sciences and Engineering. A rotating panel from every brand of
science sat in judgment of the proposals brought before them.
Usually not particularly kind judgment.
He looked up and grinned. “Yes, I want to share some of my
thoughts on the Rigdon’s Banknote Verification Device with the panel.”
She swallowed. “Do you think that’s a good idea? Shouldn’t
you keep all the details to yourself until Mr. Latimer has time to review it?”
Usually when he came back from the Hall his need to prove himself to the panel
drove him to even more erratic behavior than usual. In their current situation
they could not afford another misstep. “Aren’t you teaching the Franklin boy
today? I’m sure he’d love for you to share your automated catapult.”
Her father frowned for a second, but then his expression
cleared. “You are absolutely right. And with the help of the trebuchet I can
explain tension, torsion and gravity.” He jumped up and waved at her. “I’ll
just have to ensure the counterbalance is calibrated correctly. Thank you, my
dear.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek and rushed off.
Sarah sank back into her chair, the teapot still in hand.
Her racing heartbeat slowly calmed. Close call.
Her father’s footsteps echoed through the house. Doors
slammed.
She should get up and ensure he tidied his shirt and check
his coat, but lead sank into her legs at the thought of getting up.
Not today.
She dragged the platter with the cheese and biscuits close and
ate. When the clock rang and drew her back to the here and now, Sarah realized
she’d eaten everything. Frustrated at her lack of control and feeling slightly
ill, she pushed her chair back and stomped to
She sipped her tea, far weaker than she liked as this was
the third brewing, and studied her father at the other end of the table. Once
again his shirt was wrinkled and some of the buttons closed crookedly. His hair
stood on end on the back of his head.
He looked like a young boy eager to race off to his next
adventure. The same blazing rage she’d experienced yesterday roared through
her. She balled a fist below the table. Why did she always have to be the
responsible one? Why was it her role to solve the problems he caused in
his chase for the next great invention?
Because she had made it her role.
She dropped her gaze to her cheese and crackers.
He had barely touched his lunch, the soup growing cold and
the water biscuits stale. Not to mention the cheese was drying out. Fine, if he
couldn’t appreciate his food today, he’d just have to have it again tomorrow.
She wouldn’t let anything go to waste. They couldn’t afford
it.
She rubbed her aching forehead.
Truth be told, he probably wouldn’t even notice. The rage
dissipated again as quickly as it had come to the surface. Her shoulders
slumped.
After her mother’s death all she thought of was to make
things easier for him. She’d taken on all the chores and worked hard to fix any
problems that came up. It had made her feel close to her mum and in no time at
all it had become the norm for her father. It still made her feel needed and it
was the one thing she excelled at. And by never confronting him with the
consequences of his actions, she’d basically enabled his behavior.
Now she could either continue as she had or tell her father
she posed as a nude model for a friend of the man her father hoped to impress
with his invention.
She pinched the bridge of her nose. That was not a
conversation she wanted to have. Sarah lifted her teacup only to put it back
down. After everything that had happened over the last three days she deserved
a strong cup of tea with a dash of milk.
She rose. “I’ll make more tea.”
Her father barely looked up from his technological article.
“Not for me, thank you. I’m heading out to the Hall in a few minutes.”
Her heart stopped beating. “The Hall?”
The Hall was the meeting ground for the members of the Royal
Institutes of Sciences and Engineering. A rotating panel from every brand of
science sat in judgment of the proposals brought before them.
Usually not particularly kind judgment.
He looked up and grinned. “Yes, I want to share some of my
thoughts on the Rigdon’s Banknote Verification Device with the panel.”
She swallowed. “Do you think that’s a good idea? Shouldn’t
you keep all the details to yourself until Mr. Latimer has time to review it?”
Usually when he came back from the Hall his need to prove himself to the panel
drove him to even more erratic behavior than usual. In their current situation
they could not afford another misstep. “Aren’t you teaching the Franklin boy
today? I’m sure he’d love for you to share your automated catapult.”
Her father frowned for a second, but then his expression
cleared. “You are absolutely right. And with the help of the trebuchet I can
explain tension, torsion and gravity.” He jumped up and waved at her. “I’ll
just have to ensure the counterbalance is calibrated correctly. Thank you, my
dear.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek and rushed off.
Sarah sank back into her chair, the teapot still in hand.
Her racing heartbeat slowly calmed. Close call.
Her father’s footsteps echoed through the house. Doors
slammed.
She should get up and ensure he tidied his shirt and check
his coat, but lead sank into her legs at the thought of getting up.
Not today.
She dragged the platter with the cheese and biscuits close and
ate. When the clock rang and drew her back to the here and now, Sarah realized
she’d eaten everything. Frustrated at her lack of control and feeling slightly
ill, she pushed her chair back and stomped to
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