Felicia murmured encouragingly; her brother was starting to look a trifle overwhelmed. She watched Rand push his way to William John’s side. Almost immediately, William John’s smile—a smile Felicia knew meant he was reliving his recent drive with the Prince no matter that he was answering people’s questions—returned. Luckily, the newspapermen and the investors quickly recognized Rand as the more useful source and directed their queries to him, leaving William John to the other inventors, who were every bit as vague as he.
Ryder and Mary came to join Felicia; they had been speaking with Shields and the other guards, who had once again instituted a protective cordon about the steam carriage.
Felicia saw Ryder’s outwardly easygoing yet inwardly suspicious gaze rest on Mayhew, who, now Rand had gone, was standing beside her. Rand may not have time to explain, but there was no reason Mayhew couldn’t oblige. She turned to him. “Mr. Mayhew, perhaps you can explain what’s been happening.” Boldly, she took his arm and steered the artist away from the worst of the crowd.
Mary and Ryder moved with them, on Felicia’s other side.
Mayhew looked rather nervously at Ryder. “Ah...”
Releasing Mayhew, Felicia waved at Ryder and Mary. “Allow me to present the Marquess and Marchioness of Raventhorne, Lord Cavanaugh’s brother and sister-in-law. You may speak freely before them.”
Ryder rumbled, “We know of your attempts to sabotage the engine, culminating in your attempt to kidnap Miss Throgmorton.” Ryder’s lips curved in a gesture that was not a smile. “We’re all quite keen to learn what, exactly, has been going on.”
Mayhew studied Ryder for a moment and, apparently, decided the invitation to exonerate himself was not one to dismiss. Briefly, he met Felicia’s eyes, then he drew in a breath and said, “I’m afraid I managed to get myself into quite horrendous debt. My principal creditor isn’t one to balk at violence. And then my uncle contacted me, and—”
Along with Mary and Ryder, Felicia listened as Mayhew unburdened himself of what she judged was a comprehensive confession; certainly, he missed none of the events of which she was aware, and despite Ryder’s looming presence, Mayhew made no attempt to gloss over his perfidy. That he’d been shaken to his senses by the incident in the wood and, subsequently, had recoiled from executing his uncle’s plans rang true. He then explained what had happened earlier that afternoon, in the exhibition hall.
“So Winthrop took your offhand comment to heart and acted?” Mary asked.
Mayhew nodded. “I never imagined he would. I parted from him, then I saw Miss Throgmorton and Lord Cavanaugh and decided I couldn’t just walk away without giving them the explanations I felt they were owed.” He paused, then lightly shrugged. “His lordship thought it best to check the engine, and I went to see, too.”
“I saw Rand and you slip behind the engine.” Felicia looked at Ryder and Mary. “When I found them—” She succinctly described what had gone on in the fraught minutes leading up to the engine settling and performing as expected.
“So that was why the engine made that strange noise at the start,” Mary said.
Felicia nodded. “The pressures were unable to equalize—not until both valves had been released.”
Ryder thought for a moment, then nodded at Mayhew. “So you helped save the day. That’s exoneration enough for me.”
Mary and Felicia echoed, “And me.”
“And,” Felicia continued, “quite obviously, Rand has decided you’re to be excused your transgressions.”
Mayhew seemed to squirm. “As to that, his lordship and I confronted my uncle, and the upshot was that he—my uncle—will cover my debts as he promised and also pay me a stipend.” Mayhew appeared not entirely comfortable with that result, but added, “My uncle also agreed to retire from this arena of investing—henceforth, he’ll send any of his clients interested in investing in inventions to Lord Cavanaugh.”
Ryder grinned. “It seems my brother has ensured that Winthrop pays appropriately for his sins.” Ryder regarded Mayhew, then smiled. “I believe we can consider the incident dealt with and put it behind us.”
Being of much the same opinion, Felicia nodded. She looked to where Rand and William John were still surrounded by the curious.
Mary slid her arm in Ryder’s. “We’re going to stroll some more—I want to take a look at that pen device Rand mentioned.”
Felicia nodded. “I’ll stay here in case they need relief.”
With a smile and a nod, Ryder led his wife away.
Mayhew shifted. When Felicia glanced his way, he somewhat diffidently asked, “I wonder if I might take another look at the engine? I only caught the briefest glimpse before, and I was too tense to take proper notice.”
She studied him for a moment and decided they owed him too great a debt not to let bygones go. With a smile, she tipped her head to the steam carriage. “Of course. Come on.”
She led him past the cordon and a still-suspicious Shields—there would have to be more explanations later—and she and Mayhew walked around the steam carriage to the side away from the crowds. She opened the side flap to the engine compartment so Mayhew could crouch and look inside. Still exp
laining to other inventors, William John had the opposite flap as well as the top cover open, allowing light to stream in and illuminate the gleaming pipes and tubes, the heavy gears and cogs, and the silvery steel housing of the pistons.
Felicia looked at the engine and felt proprietorial pride bloom within her—something she’d never thought to feel over any invention.
Smiling at herself, she shifted her gaze to Mayhew and studied his expression as he gazed at the engine. She sensed the moment something took hold, and Mayhew caught his breath.
Unmoving, he stared as if committing the sight to memory, then, slowly, he straightened his legs and rose. He glanced at her. “Thank you.” He hesitated for a second, then said, “Lord Cavanaugh suggested that to repay you and Mrs. Makepeace for your forbearance and understanding that I should present you with some of my sketches of the Hall—which I intend to do.” He drew breath and, with rising enthusiasm in his voice, went on, “I would also like to do a series of sketches of the steam carriage and especially the engine as a gift.” He caught her eye. “If you’ll permit it?”