Free The Skin Map by Stephen R. Lawhead Page A

from his silver cup and waved his hand as if swatting a fly. “Tosh! You and I both know we cannot allow any outside interference. The rumour has spread, and it is beginning to attract interest. We must eliminate any serious inquiry before someone stumbles upon the truth.”
    “My chief concern is that they might see through your sham experiment,” said Cosimo, swirling the sweet liquid in his cup.
    “One or two might,” conceded Sir Henry, “given the chance. The rest would not recognise a genuine scientific principle if it jumped up and bit them on the bum. I shall, of course, choose my participant observers from amongst the latter.”
    Kit listened to this exchange, and it occurred to him that Sir Henry moved easily from his antique English into Cosimo’s and Kit’s modern version. From this, he surmised that the two had enjoyed a long acquaintance. However that might be, in one thing he was confirmed: Sir Henry, for all his lofty airs, was a levelheaded, trustworthy, and honourable man. How very civilised, Kit decided.
    It should be like this always. Suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to stay here and be a part of whatever it was the two grand gentlemen were cooking up between them. He was thinking how this might be accomplished when he heard his name mentioned.
    “ . . . and Kit here can help,” said Cosimo. Both men turned to him and seemed to expect some sort of reply.
    “I—uh,” ventured Kit, “would be happy to assist in any way I can, of course.” He was not at all certain what he had agreed to just then, but felt it was the right thing to do.
    “Splendid!” said Sir Henry. “More Oporto?” he said, proffering the decanter.
    “I don’t mind if I do,” said Kit, smiling the muzzy smile of the mildly intoxicated.
    While Kit nursed his drink, the other two talked about the impending experiment and how to sabotage it. Eventually, they agreed on a plan and Cosimo said, “There is just one small thing that’s come up, and I’d welcome your advice, Sir Henry.”
    “Of course, dear fellow. Anything. How can I be of service?”
    “We seem to have lost someone on our way here,” said Cosimo. “A young lady friend of Kit’s has gone missing. It appears she followed Kit and failed to complete the crossing.”
    “That is most unfortunate, I daresay.” The lord scientist clucked his tongue with disapproval. “What the devil was she playing at, if you don’t mind my asking?”
    “Sorry,” said Kit, speaking up. “It was all my fault. I was showing her about the leys and, well . . .” He gave a shrug of helpless ignorance. “I guess something went wrong.”
    “So it would seem.” Sir Henry gave a questioning glance to Cosimo. “One would have thought you might have taken the proper precautions.”
    “He has received no training from me,” replied Cosimo. “It seems he has picked up the knack on his own.”
    This information caused Sir Henry’s eyebrows to rise sharply. “Ah-ha!” he said. “Our young chap is a prodigy? A natural?”
    “I believe he is.”
    “Runs in the family, I suppose.” Sir Henry turned an appraising gaze to Kit. “So much potential. I, for one, would not like to see it wasted.”
    “He will be schooled, never fear,” said Cosimo with conviction.
    “What about the young lady in question?”
    “I know nothing about her whatsoever,” Cosimo said, turning to Kit.
    “Please believe me when I say I didn’t know I was doing anything wrong,” said Kit in his own defence. “I only meant to show her what had happened to me and, well, it happened again. In any case, all I know is that we were together in the alley and then we weren’t. She’s my girlfriend—”
    At Sir Henry’s puzzled expression, Cosimo interjected, “He means sweetheart.”
    “Ah!” said Sir Henry. “Pray continue.”
    “Wilhelmina’s gone, and I feel responsible,” concluded Kit. “I said I’d take care of her, but I lost her instead. We have to rescue her.”
    “Find her