The Captain's Frozen Dream

Katie’s dark lashes fluttered as she watched him draw his hand away. She bit her bottom lip, the anticipation in her expression urging Conrad forward, but he held back. He didn’t want to push her too far and break the fragile bond they were slowly repairing.

‘Hurry, I want to see the fossil before it gets too dark.’ Katie quickly moved off over the loose piles of slate and around the large outcroppings of rock dotting the mine floor.

Conrad followed, stopping to join her at the base of the second ladder. Katie peered up at the length of dark bone so distinct against the grey slate and the metal stake driven in next to it to mark its place. A nearby overhang increased the shadows in this portion of the quarry, shading the mine wall and the bone.

‘What do you think it is?’ he asked. It was difficult from where they were standing to tell.

‘I don’t believe it’s an ichthyosaur. It looks too long and thick. I must get a closer look.’

‘I’ll have the men dig it out for you tomorrow,’ Mr Turner offered as he came to stand with them.

‘No, we make for London tomorrow. I must see it tonight,’ Katie insisted.

‘Then I’ll fetch a lamp.’ Mr Turner hurried off to secure the light.

Katie crept closer to the ladder, tilting her head back and forth to try to get a better look at the bone. The curls at the back of her neck caressed her shoulders before one of them caught in the small lace of her neckline. Conrad reached up to free it and Katie jerked around to face him, then took one small step away.

‘Dr Mantell found a large bone he thinks is the leg of some unknown creature,’ Katie explained. ‘Mr Cuvier says it’s a kind of hippopotamus from before the deluge, but Dr Mantell isn’t convinced. He and I discussed the matter. He’s afraid to publish his paper on it for fear the societies will laugh and reject him. It’s difficult to be taken seriously if one doesn’t come from a titled or wealthy family.’

Katie toed a small piece of slate with her boot.

‘Then all the more reason to align yourself with a man who possesses both.’ It wasn’t a subtle reminder of his standing and small wealth, but a powerful one. Though he’d always cherished Katie’s eagerness to love him despite his money and family connections, he wasn’t above using both to try and persuade her to be with him now.

Katie peered around Conrad with a frown, obviously not as enamoured with his argument. ‘What’s taking Mr Tucker so long?’

The sun was falling fast and the shadows deepening by the minute.

‘He’ll be back soon.’

‘I can’t wait any longer.’ She marched to the ladder, sliding a little on a piece of lose slate before she regained her balance.

Conrad hurried up behind her. ‘What are you doing?’

‘If I managed the ladder into the mine, surly I can manage this one. Steady it for me.’

Before he could take hold of it, Katie began to climb.

Conrad grabbed the poles tight and the higher Katie climbed, the more the wood wobbled under her weight. As she ascended, the top of the poles nestled against the walls rattled, breaking off shards of slate. Conrad turned his head as the pebbles she’d knocked loose pelted his shoulders and scattered over the mine floor. By the time he looked back up, Katie was at the top, hands on the last rung as she strained to see the bone.