“I implore all of you,” Mrs. Herschel continued, “to examine what has been published by the society in the past two years. We must uncover the paper that contains the hoax. Lean upon your own expertise and give close examination to those papers relating to your field.”
The company was energized by Mrs. Herschel’s directive and began moving off and forming small groups. Kitty was entirely mystified. Who was John Hill and why would anybody wish to threaten the Royal Society? Why was Mrs. Herschel leading the charge when she was not even a member?
Mrs. Herschel turned to Lady Penderton and Kitty. “I do apologize for the oddness of this drawing room, but as you have heard, we are in the midst of an emergency.”
“Do not apologize tome, Mrs. Herschel,” the baroness said good humoredly. “A mysterious letter? A plot? It is the most interesting thing I’ve heard in a drawing room in ages.”
“But Mrs. Herschel,” Kitty said, “at the risk of exposing my ignorance, who is John Hill? What did he do that could be so very damaging to the society?”
Mrs. Herschel took a sip of tea and put her cup down. “In the mid-fifties, there was a fellow who was excluded from the society, though he felt strongly he ought not to have been. A botanist, among other things. Hedidcontribute to our understanding of plants and was even knighted by the Swedes. However, he was a prickly sort and so did not have enough friends to pave the way for him.”
“Ah,” Lady Penderton said. “A man who considers himself deeply wronged is always dangerous.”
“Just so, Lady Penderton,” Mrs. Herschel said, nodding. “As a revenge, John Hill wrote a preposterous paper calledLucina sine concubituand submitted it to the society—a ridiculous piece of work proposing that…”
Mrs. Herschel trailed off, though both her listeners leaned forward. “Well, perhaps it is not suitable to go into details as it relates to human anatomy.”
Lady Penderton laughed. “I do not think you could say anything to shock me, and my daughter has read widely enough that little will be a mystery to her.”
Mrs. Herschel nodded. “It proposed that a female might get with child without help from a man. From the air, as it were.”
Kitty stifled a giggle. “That is preposterous, indeed. Who would believe such a thing?”
“The society did not publish the paper, but theydiddebate it,” Mrs. Herschel said. “That fact was reported everywhere when word got out about it. The paper was signed Abraham Johnson, but was in fact John Hill. Mr. Hill set out to embarrass the society as a punishment for being excluded, and so he did. It seems we are facing the same situation now. Though, back in those times Mr. Hill did have a point, there were far too many gentlemen inducted who were not particularly intellectual. Those days, fortunately, are long over.”
“I wonder why this Veritas, as he calls himself, should give a forewarning to his plan, though,” Kitty mused.
“I believe it to be a torture of the members,” Mrs. Herschel said. “The worst part of a bad outcome is the anticipation of it.”
“Speaking of the members, Mrs. Herschel,” Lady Penderton said, “how do you come to lead the effort to expose the rogue? Ladies are not even admitted to the hallowed halls of Somerset House.”
“Not technically,” Mrs. Herschel said, “though if one has discovered enough comets, one may be admitted to a certain curtained balcony to hear the occasional lecture. In any case, I expect I will someday be a recognized member and would like the society to still stand when we finally arrive at that hoped-for day. I am not alone in that prediction or that wish. I suspect Miss Dell will feel the same.”
“I most certainly do,” Kitty said. “But Mrs. Herschel, if the society has become more rigorous in its membership, what can this person have against it?”
“That is therealquestion, to my mind,” Mrs. Herschel said. “What is the actual motive of this person?”
The conversation about John Hill and what ought to be done went on throughout the room. Kitty and her mother remained on the sofa and Sir John approached and gave his thoughts on the mystery. They must only discover two things—which papers hinted they might contain a falsehood, and which of those had been written by a man likely to be disgruntled over some matter. Kitty listened and worked hard to be impressed by Sir John’s reasonings, though she thought he rather stated the obvious. She had a great urge to rise and approach Mr. Crackwilder. She very much wished to hear of the Palaskar collection.
As Sir John wound down his conclusions, Lady Penderton signaled that it was time to take their leave. Despite the unusualness of the gathering, the baroness was not so eager to ignore the usual rules of a social call. She had, though, invited both Mrs. Herschel and Sir John to call on them.
In the carriage, Lady Penderton said, “Goodness, that was amusing. Your father shall be entirely diverted.”
Kitty supposed her mother was right. Her father, though well qualified to be a fellow of the society, refused to have anything to do with it on account of its president, Sir Joseph Banks. Sir Joseph had spent a lifetime bringing foreign flora into England and her father thought it the height of foolishness for its unpredictability. Lord Penderton was certain England would be taken over by bamboo or some other invasive species and they’d had a public falling out about it years before. Her father was very much of the opinion that the Royal Society had not had a sensible president since Martin Folkes, in his own father’s time.
“I shall be vastly interested in how the mystery unfolds,” Lady Penderton said. “I propose we make regular visits to Mrs. Herschel as I cannot think where else we’d hear anything about it.”
Kitty was surprised and pleased. “I am gratified, mama, that you should take such an interest in defending the reputation of the sciences.”
Lady Penderton’s peals of laughter filled the carriage. “No, child,” she said, recovering her breath, “I am only interested because it will amuse your father. I dearly love to make him laugh.”
*
Giles had noparticular idea where the ridiculous Sir John hoped to encounter Miss Dell on Tuesday, but as hedidhave the idea of buying Miss Dell a book and thought Lackington and Allen a likely place to encounter them, he’d set off in good time.
Aside from encountering Miss Dell, he had planned to be introduced to Mr. Lackington. Miss Dell appeared to hold him in some regard and Giles supposed Mr. Lackington could select a book the lady would find riveting.
He had been disappointed to see no sign of Miss Dell, though he had loitered for hours. Mr. Lackington was also not on the premises. Giles wondered if he ought not come back another day, but then decided against it. He was determined to see that a book be delivered to Miss Dell before the sun had set. The morrow was Wednesday, and he would lurk outside of Miss Danworth’s house until he saw Miss Dell arrive to look at that collection of books that were to be so notable. Then he would casually arrive and reveal that he had been the mysterious sender of Miss Dell’s book. He and Miss Dell would be put on better footing instantly, and Sir John could do what he liked about it.
