Free The Lady Astronomer by Katy O'Dowd

things just
as arduous were happening back at the H residence.
    Al stood in the courtyard with the Family
O, Mr. V had been drafted in, and even Mrs. P was on the alert.
    “Let me get this straight.” Mr. V
chewed on his pipe stem. “The lemur has disappeared.”
    “He knew something was afoot, I’d
swear to it. And with Lucretia away, well…” Al looked at the assembled
crew sadly. “I’ll never forgive myself if he has gone for good.”
    Mr. O patted his shoulder. “There’s no
need to be so glum, lad, nor any of the rest of you. We’ll find him before they
get back. Here’s an idea, Mr. V, would you arrange with your wife to waylay the
weary travellers as soon as she spots them? They won’t be difficult to miss
with the mirror transferred to horses and carts, and going slowly.”
    “Mrs. V would win a gold medal if
there was a competition in talking. I’m sure she’ll be glad to help. Yes, quite
sure.”
    Al looked at Mr. V aghast, it was the most
he had ever heard the man speak. Tricky situations obviously brought something
out in the old fellow.
    “Excellent. Now, the rest of us will
spread out. To catch a monkey you need to think like a monkey. Yes, yes, I
know, no need to interrupt. I’ve been told off already for calling him a
monkey. Primate. But he acts like the cheekiest monkey I’ve ever seen.”
    The group split up. Mrs. O climbed trees,
while O the Younger took the lower ground. Mr. O heaved anything heavy aside
while Al peered under things, disturbing beetles and spiders which skittered
out of his way.
    He stood and brushed a creature out of his
mouth.
    “This is hopeless. Absolutely
hopeless.” He turned aside and saw Orion sitting watching their progress.
Al had a candlelight moment.
    “I’ve got it! Orion is sure to know
where Leibniz is!”
    “That great furry fellow?”
    “Mr. O, he’ll take offence.”
    “Sorry, owl. No offence intended.”
    Orion blinked.
    Al walked over to the chopped wood pile and
hunkered down before remembering that it was very unlikely the owl could
actually see him. He walked a bit away and hunkered down again, waving his arms
to catch Orion’s attention.
    Orion flew over to him.
    “No, no,” Al protested as the
huge bird nearly knocked him to the ground. “I need you to stay here.”
    He moved away again.
    Orion flew over to him again.
    “This is absolutely hopeless!”
    “I have an idea, if I may. How about I
stay with the owl, and you walk away?”
    “Well, I’m fresh out of them, couldn’t
hurt to give it a go I suppose.”
    So, once caught, the strong man kept his
palm on the owl’s body, exerting enough pressure to keep him in place while Al
moved further away again. When he was sure it was going to work, he hunkered
down and looked Orion in the eye.
    “Where is Leibniz?”
    Orion blinked.
    “Where is the lemur?”
    The owl pushed against Mr. O, spread his
wings and took off into the sky.
    “Keep an eye on him, for goodness
sake. He might actually just lead us to Leibniz. And if he does, I’m going to
find him the biggest treat I can.”
    They lost sight as Orion found a current,
dipping and diving and having a grand old time. But then the speck in the sky
grew larger and resumed its owl shape. Orion then alighted on the roof where
Lucretia spent her nights.
    “Of course, how silly of us.” Al
scrambled up the ladder to the roof top, Mr. O in pursuit.
    There sat Leibniz, mutinous, with Orion
preening, dispelling the heinous myth that owls were not the cleverest of
avians.
    “Leibniz.” Al held his hands out.
“Come here, little fellow.”
    The lemur sulked and turned his face away,
injured feelings oozing from his very core.
    “Ah, Leibniz, I’m sorry. We needed to
find you.”
    The lemur turned his back haughtily.
    “I know, I know. We shouldn’t have
chased you, I’m sorry.”
    “That’s quite enough pussy-footing
around,” interjected Mr. O. “Leibniz, I have some sugared violets in
my pocket, want them?”
    The lemur