In the laboratory Milsy varnishes some wire until an unexpected interruption leads to a visit to the chamber of the Great Clock that keeps time for the whole palace. It does not take long for her to discern how it functions and, naturally, she begins to have ideas to improve the mechanism. The guildsmen of the Clockmakers' Guild are not impressed...

What Milsy Did

by Penny Lane

9 - The Great Clock

Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. This story is copyright (c) 2016 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

---

Milsy lay in bed, the early morning light seeping round the edges of the drapes. Her mind was in a perfect ferment with thoughts of Tarvan contesting with ideas of things to do with solenoids... in addition, the unexpected thought that she might become a guildswoman one day added to the bubbling stew.

While her thoughts of electrical matters were clear and precise, such that she could not wait to return to the laboratory to begin experimenting, those about Tarvan were of a different kind, vague, shifting and giving rise to the most strange feelings within her body. Was this what it was like when you found someone? She hadn't understood it when several of her fellow kitchen workers had struck up friendships with men who worked in the lower parts of the castle, she had thought they had lost parts of their minds. They had certainly become distracted enough to be told off by Master Samind.

Now, she was aware that the same thing was happening to herself and she did not want it to stop, though another part of her tried to analyze what was happening in her normal, clear-headed way.

It would be easy to let go, to become all silly and giggly like Hesra and Jilly did, but I can't afford to do that. Unlike them I don't have the freedom to be myself, I have to be somebody else first. I don't know what Garia will be like when she finds herself a man but I'm certain she won't behave like a kitchen servant! Her background is too different.

There is far too much going on in my life. This is what Garia's life must be like, only hers is worse. I'm not sure I want all that responsibility.

The door of Bursila's closet opened and the maid emerged, yawning. Milsy propped herself up on one elbow.

"Good morning, Bursila."

"Good morning, Milady. I trust you slept well?"

Milsy tried a smile. "As well as I could with all these thoughts swirling round my head. Tarvan... and the laboratory! I have had much to think about! I never dreamed anyone would be serious about me becoming a guildswoman. I am not of the same cloth as Garia, I deem."

"Mayhap not, Milady, since you do not come from Earth, but you have something else that is rare in Palarand, intelligence. Master Tarvan is right, you are at least as clever as several of the guildsmen I have observed since attending Lady Garia and I believe you should have your chance at making use of your talents. Why, you have learned to read in little more than a week!"

"I'm not sure I can agree with that," Milsy said, throwing back the covers, "I now know most of the letters, it is true, but the whole procedure still seems unfamiliar and handwriting is another matter. Ask me again in six months and I might then agree with you."

"As you say, Milady. Now, do you desire to use the toilet? I will ask for bathwater while you do so, if I may."

"Aye, I had best do so. Do you think I can wear that exercise outfit again today? It was only worn three bells yesterday and I didn't get it dirty at all." Milsy scowled. "I must speak to Rosilda! My clothing needs have become a problem."

"As you say, Milady. I will inspect it after I have pulled the rope for water."

The exercise attire proved to be useable so the two prepared themselves and went through the now-familiar routine for obtaining and eating breakfast. Their first visitor afterwards was Rosilda.

"Oh, Rosilda, I am so relieved to see you! I have discovered that, while there is sufficient clothing here for the Baroness to walk the corridors, her servant Milsy has barely any at all."

"This is true, Milady, though..." Rosilda paused, "I understood that it would be the Baroness who resided here most of the time. Has something changed?"

"In a way, Rosilda. I have now begun to attend the laboratory in the Royal Questor's quarters with Master Tarvan and there is insufficient for me to wear. The Baroness has taken most of it with her to Blackstone. While I must needs be the Baroness passing from here to the laboratory, inside I have become Milsy again." She shook her head. "This is becoming confusing! Put simply, whoever I would be, there is insufficient attire here for the requirements of the work over there."

Rosilda nodded. "I understand, Milady. The day gowns of the Baroness are suitable for most occasions but you will require more specialized wear while in the laboratory. Do you assist Master Tarvan while you are there?"

"Oh, yes, we both do! I have already been cleaning out the furnace and winding coils for him and I expect to do more in future. We do make use of those thick cleaning dresses but I don't think I can wear those all the time."

"As you say." Rosilda thoughtfully looked over Milsy. "The attire you presently wear is a compromise, of course, since that is what the other would wear, but it is not intended for use in a workshop or anywhere else a guildsman might work." She nodded. "This is a different problem than those the Baroness brought to me. Let me consider the matter and I shall design something for you. How soon might you require such garments?"

Milsy gestured to herself. "This is it. This is the only thing I could wear other than a day gown and I doubt those would be suitable. The Queen would not be pleased were I to spoil one of the Baroness's gowns."

Rosilda shuddered. "I can only agree, Milady. Perhaps..." she considered. "I may produce something using a similar pattern as what you presently wear, but in a heavier fabric and different color. Would that suffice as an immediate answer?"

"Probably. If I wear something like that for a week or so I can tell you if they are suitable. If they are not, we should have a better idea what does."

"My thoughts exactly, Milady."

"There is another matter," Milsy added slowly. "It seems that I am taking on a separate existence to the Baroness so I'm going to require my own gowns and other attire. Can I do that? How do I do that?"

"Why, you would just attend the Royal wardrobe as any other servant would, Milady. You already have a tally set up, I do not foresee any difficulty."

"There's a thing you should know, though I would ask you to keep it to yourself for now."

"Milady?"

"Master Tarvan has suggested that I be made candidate for entry to a guild. He considers that I have the ability to do so."

"Ah, I see! What you imply is that you might not always be considered in the rank of servant."

"As you say. We are at the start of such adventures and nothing might come of the notion but I thought it best to advise you."

"I understand, Milady. Of course, for the present you may use the Baroness's gowns but I will remember your words for the future. If you do become a guildswoman, then you would require special attire, would you not?"

Milsy nodded. "That was why I mentioned it, Rosilda. Just so that you won't be surprised if things change in the future."

"Milady, I have served the Baroness many weeks now. I am no stranger to unusual requests."

Milsy chuckled. "I keep forgetting! She is amazing, is she not? Well, I do not expect that I will have such extreme need of your services, Rosilda. You may rest easy."

"I trust you are right, Milady. Is there anything else you require at present?"

"I'm not sure. Perhaps I should come to the Wardrobe one day as you suggest."

"As you say, Milady. In that case, I must return and consider your present requirements."

Rosilda curtseyed, turned and went out the door to be replaced by Tord.

"Are you ready to leave, Milady?"

"Aye, let us go."

Once established in the laboratory they repeated the morning ritual of cleaning and lighting the furnace before Tarvan began showing Milsy how to apply varnish to fresh copper wire. This involved a kind of T-shaped rack at each end of the free bench over which the wire was stretched, a pot of varnish and a small brush. Milsy wrinkled her nose at the smell.

"Does everything you do involve bad smells, Tarvan?"

He grinned at her. "Not all the time, you will be delighted to hear. This smell is nothing compared to many you may encounter in the future. No, don't stop! That stuff dries fast so you have to keep the brush moving."

"As you say. I've been thinking about ways this could be improved."

"Oh?"

"For example, what about a small tank with the varnish in it, perhaps the size of a large mug. At the bottom of the tank you fix a hook... or maybe a small wheel, that might be better! Then you simply run the wire round the hook or wheel and pull it through the varnish. If the varnish dries that quick it would be dry enough to wind on a spool, don't you think?"

Tarvan focused his mind on the suggestion. "You would have to have a long enough length coming out in order for the varnish to dry completely... it is an interesting thought, I deem. Perhaps we can consider such a device later, since I know that we will soon require ridiculous amounts of coated wire and painting it by hand is too slow, besides the chance of leaving gaps."

"How much are you likely to need, do you think?"

"Oh, the Guildmistress speaks of marks of wire, many, many marks. If these electric motors are to become anything more than just curiosities then I believe her. The amounts of wire of all kinds that we might require for the future takes my breath away."

Milsy frowned. "So much? Tarvan, is there enough copper in the world?"

"I believe so, Milsy. We presently take great quantities of many metals from the ground but we have barely scratched the surface of Alaesia. I am assured that there will be enough for what we need to do, though we must make sure that none is wasted in the future."

"I agree with that. There, I think I have finished. What do you think? Oh, and what do I do with the brush? If I stand here much longer it will have set solid."

"Ah, right, let us attend to the brush and pot before I look at the wire. I can check it afterwards and we can easily touch up any gaps you have left. Here, put the stopper back in that pot and then we'll take the brush - quickly - to the kitchen. This kind of varnish is soluble in water while it is yet wet, though not once it dries."

"Oh. In that case, how do I get it off my fingers?"

"You scrub. Come, to the kitchen. Bursila, if you would mind the furnace."

On the way back from the kitchen Tarvan steered Milsy into the study.

"See? This is our biggest problem, though fortunately it is not really my problem!"

She looked around at the packed shelving and the half-buried desk.

"Is this all documents? All belonging to Master Morlan?"

"Possibly, though more likely some belong to his predecessors. Many are so old and faded they are difficult to read now."

"You wanted me to try and read some of these?"

"There are some which you might be able to read, aye. If you wished to remain in these quarters during the day, and there was by chance no other work, you could attempt some of these."

Milsy looked dubiously at the apparent chaos in the room. "If you say so."

"We also use this room when we are describing things to each other. See that blackboard? It still has the last things the Guildmistress wrote upon it before she departed."

"Oh, so we could draw out a wire-coating device, is that what you are saying?"

"As you say." Tarvan turned at a noise to find Tord standing at the study door.

"Master Tarvan, there are two guildsmen here to speak to you... and the Baroness. I thought it best to let you decide what to do before I allowed them entry."

The shock Milsy felt was immediate and made her stomach cold. "What do we do? Can I pretend to be the Guildmistress, do you think? Are these two likely to have met her?"

Tarvan shook his head. "We have no means of knowing, Milsy. She has made many visits to workshops in the city so many will know her by sight. We cannot know if these two are among that number." He reached a decision. "No, I don't think you can be the Guildmistress on this occasion, we must needs find some other answer. Tord, did they tell you which guild they are from?"

"Unfortunately not, Master Tarvan. I did not think to ask them. Next time I will."

"The Guildmistress is elsewhere," Milsy stated. "She has gone out for the day and we don't know where she is or when she will return. I am merely Tarvan's assistant today."

Tarvan hesitated briefly before nodding his head once. "Done. Send them in, Tord. I will explain."

The two men came into the study and shook hands with Tarvan, who recognized them.

"Greetings, Master Hebren, Master Yubold. I regret that the Guildmistress does not attend the laboratory today."

"That is disappointing," the older of the two said. "It was the Guildmistress we came to pay our respects to. Do you know if she will be available later today?"

"Regrettably not, Masters. Today she visits... I know not where, actually. She left early this morning before I arrived at the palace and I do not know when she will return."

The two men looked around with interest.

"These were the quarters of Master Morlan, lately the Royal Questor," Tarvan explained. "Since it is presently vacant, it was deemed a suitable place for the Guildmistress to perform some experiments. This was his study. If I may be of service?"

"Our apologies! We had wondered if the Guildmistress would like to inspect the Great Clock. We know that she has not yet seen it and we will be there this morning performing some cleaning and lubrication tasks." He hesitated. "If you can spare the time from your own present tasks we would be happy for you to join us. I remember you expressed interest when we attended previously. Much of what is within the tower was, of course, made by the efforts of the Metalsmiths' Guild."

"The Great Clock..." Tarvan pondered. The wires which Milsy had painted were drying, nothing else had been started. This might be an interesting excursion for the two of the - no, the three of them, he mentally amended. "Aye, I would be interested, Masters. About how long do you expect to be there?"

Hebren shrugged. "It varies, of course, each time we attend, but probably no more than a bell to a bell and a half. You can spare such a time?"

"Aye, I can, there is nothing that needs my immediate attention. Oh," he added, apparently as an afterthought, "would it be possible for my assistant to join us?"

"Your assistant? Perhaps. It might prove instructive to him, to see what careful design and construction may produce. Where is he?"

"She is here, Masters." Tarvan gestured. "This is Milsy, who may soon be considered for guild membership."

"A girl? You cannot be serious!"

"I am serious, Master. I intend to sponsor her to Master Parrel when I next meet him."

"But..." Yubold spluttered. "A female? The guilds have never admitted any female, ever! This cannot be!"

"If I would remind you, Masters, you came here expecting to find the Guildmistress. Where she would lead, others must needs follow and Milsy is at least as bright as the Guildmistress. She already suggests improvements to my own experiments in yonder workshop."

The two men stared at Tarvan and Milsy, reluctant to accept the inevitable. Finally Hebren sighed.

"Tarvan, I must needs accept your word in this matter. If you would assure us that neither you nor she will touch anything in the chamber of the Great Clock then she may accompany you."

"On my oath as a guildsman," Tarvan replied, placing his open hand over his heart. He belatedly remembered another problem and added, "By your leave, Masters, since my assistant is female she must be accompanied by a chaperone. There is one such, she is presently in our laboratory and she also acts as an assistant of mine."

The two guildsmen stared at Tarvan again.

"What becomes of the world?" Yubold muttered.

Hebren said grudgingly, "Aye, it would be proper. She may join you. We had not anticipated so large a party."

Tarvan pointed out, "Master, if you had been joined by the Guildmistress, you must needs accommodate in addition her own maid, her secretary Lady Merizel and her own maid as well as myself. I did not decide the customs of Palarand."

Accepting defeat, Hebron nodded. "Then, when you are ready, let us take our leave. We do not know how much is to be done so we would begin as soon as we may."

"As you say, Master Hebren. If you would follow me."

Tarvan led the way into the laboratory and walked the length of it to where Bursila was sweeping the floor around the furnace. The two guildsmen followed, staring at the cluttered benches and shelves, attempting to find something they recognized.

"Bursila. These two guildsmen have come to clean and maintain the Great Clock and we are invited to view the device. If you would bank the furnace, please. I doubt we will return here this morning."

"As you say, Master Tarvan."

While Bursila finished up and put things away Yubold asked, "What did you call this chamber? Laborite-?"

"Laboratory, Master Yubold. It is a word from the world of the Guildmistress and is used to describe a place where experiments take place. To call it a workshop would imply a place where things are made rather than discovered."

"An interesting distinction. What are these wires and coils on this bench? Some of your experiments?"

"Aye, Master. I am advancing a new craft of electricity, about which you may have heard."

"I have heard the word mentioned in the Hall of the Guilds," Hebren said, "but I know nothing of it. You will become Master of this craft?" Tarvan nodded. "Would this new craft be of interest to the Clockmakers' Guild?"

Tarvan shrugged. "I do not know, Master Hebren, since I do not really know what your guild entails. I have never seen a clock."

"As you say. There are few who have, besides those who construct and maintain them. Oh, in the outlying towns, sometimes the families of those who tend the mechanisms know somewhat of them but most like yourself are ignorant of what they are and how they function."

Yubold added, "Then you may be enlightened today, Tarvan."

Bursila came and stood ready beside Tarvan indicating that she had completed her work. The two guildsmen were then startled as Tord went past them and collected two guardsmen from beyond the further door, allowing Tarvan to lock it behind them.

"You are guarded in your labors? Do they not trust you in this palace?"

Tarvan gave an apologetic smile. "They trust us, Master Hebren, it is the reverse that must be accounted for. You know that there have been several attempts at abducting or killing the Guildmistress?"

"Why, yes! A most dishonorable business. But she is not here."

"The King considers that any who wear her colors may be at risk, so several armsmen who did not travel with her... remain to escort her servants."

Milsy blinked. Tarvan had nearly given the game away by saying "...travel with her north to Blackstone" but he had recovered quickly. She followed the others out of the quarters where Tord made a less formal disposition of the men about the enlarged party. Since Tarvan was now essentially the ranking member of those from within the palace Tord addressed the guildsman.

"Master Tarvan, where is it you go?"

"These guildsmen are going to the tower of the Great Clock, Tord. They will do whatever is required within while we take the opportunity to discover what manner of mechanism produces the bells we hear."

"As you command, Master Tarvan. I know the way."

Their route lay along lower level corridors unfamiliar to Milsy but when they went up a narrow staircase and turned a corner she recognized the long corridor with the odd door in one side. They walked the length of this corridor, turning away from the wall into a side corridor at the end to find a small door in a stone wall. Hebren unlocked this door with a set of keys and the three guildsmen entered followed by Milsy and Bursila.

The chamber was large, square and made from carefully cut stone blocks, though the stonework looked old. There was no ceiling and the floor lay well below the narrow walkway they stood on. Above, a complicated structure of wooden and iron beams supported a complex arrangement of toothed wheels, pulleys and cables. Narrow slit windows provided enough illumination to make the mechanism visible. In the far recesses of the roof a number of bells hung, providing audible notice of the workings of the mechanism. In front of them a great pendulum swung ponderously across the empty space while several weights dangled from ropes attached far above.

"If you would join us further up," Hebren suggested, "you may better observe the various sprockets and other mechanisms which make up the clock."

A narrow stair rose from one end of the walkway and seemingly disappeared inside the clock mechanism. On following Tarvan up to a second walkway, Milsy discovered that this was partially true, in that the walkway was inside the lower part of the mechanism.

The walls must support all that weight. That means the beams must go all the way from side to side. To look after this great thing, one must needs clamber about inside.

"Master Hebren," she asked.

"Aye?" He turned, with a surprised look on his face.

"Those bells, will it be too loud in here when they are struck?"

"Oh, no, Mistress," he replied. "I would warn you that it will be loud but not so much that you may not bear it. If you were to climb all the way up to the bell mounts," he pointed at a ladder on the far side, "then aye, you may well find the sound to be painful to your ears."

"Thank you, Master Hebren."

"Master Hebren," Tarvan asked. "If we could ascend one more level."

"As you wish, Tarvan. I would caution you all to go no further than that nor to touch any part of the mechanism." Hebren's expression showed that he was not sure that his decision to admit Milsy and Bursila had been the right one.

Once on the third level the two guildsmen left them, one to ascend yet higher while the other clambered through the supporting structure to do something on the far side. Milsy had her first opportunity to study the workings of the clock.

She pointed. "What's that thing called?"

"That is a pendulum, that much I know. Both the length of the rod and the weight on the end control the time it takes to swing."

She looked up at the collection of sprockets and gearwheels above.

"Ah, I see. So all those wheels are counting the times the pendulum swings, is that it?"

Tarvan knew about reduction gearing but had little practical experience of such things. "As you say. The different number of teeth on each wheel mean that the time can be counted very accurately, such that one of them will turn in exactly one day."

Milsy frowned. "But what keeps the pendulum swinging? If I tried that with a weight and a rope it would soon stop, wouldn't it? So what keeps this one going?"

Tarvan frowned. "Those weights, I believe. At least, I am told that the weights have to be wound up every three days or so, so it makes sense that they are providing whatever is required to make things work."

"As you say." Milsy shifted her attention to the dangling weights. It was not long before the obvious idea came to her. "Why could not we lift the weights with a steam engine? It would make the work of lifting them so much easier... no, that is not a sensible idea, is it? We must needs feed the steam engine night and day and it would be used but a moment or two each bell."

"Not to mention the damage all that steam and smoke might do to these metals," Tarvan pointed out.

Milsy thought some more. "Then, what about some more weights? When these descend, they could lift the others up and then there could be a lever at the top or something to make the new ones drop while pulling the old ones up."

When Tarvan worked out what Milsy proposed he laughed. "A simple beginner's mistake, Milsy! You cannot have one weight pull the other up and then do the same the other way round. Consider a simple pulley with a rope over it and a sack of grain on either end. Which side goes up?"

"Why the lighter sack, of course, anyone knows that."

He grinned. "And if the sacks weighed exactly the same?"

"Why, they would balance... Oh!" She blushed. "I understand. It would never work."

"As you say. It is something called 'perpetual motion' and we are told it is impossible."

"Even on Earth?"

"I could not say but I would think so. You cannot get something out of nothing."

She turned her attention to a group of wheels and sprockets to one side, noting that they appeared to be governed by a strange, egg-shaped wheel without any teeth. A lever pressed a roller to each side of this odd shape.

"What's that? Why is it that strange shape?"

"I have no idea... wait a moment. Look, those sprockets and disks on that side are to do with the bells and the bells change every day, do they not? The sunrise advances in the Spring while the sunset retreats, with the opposite happening in the Fall. I deem that strange shaped disk turns once each year, Milsy, and the levers adjust the time of the bells as the length of the day changes."

"Aye, look! One of those disks has... I would guess at twenty notches around the edge and each time that lever goes in a notch the bells will strike. Oh, aye! That other one has different notches for naming the bell. I see how that works now."

Tarvan watched one of the guildsmen carefully cleaning a strut with a dustpan and brush while the other used an oilcan on a bearing high above. Milsy's attention had now switched to the top of the pendulum, where she saw that it was attached to a strange rocker device.

Ah! That funny wheel is connected to that big weight so it wants to turn but the pendulum won't let it. The pendulum only allows it to move a single tooth each time it swings, but the pendulum gets a kick from the wheel when the wheel moves over a tooth, that's what keeps it going. Got it!

"I understand how it all works, Tarvan."

"You do? Really?"

"Aye, 'tis simple, really. Look, see at the top of the pendulum, there?"

An astonished Tarvan followed Milsy's explanation all the way from the pendulum to the rods which activated each bell feeling both proud and disheartened at the same time.

She already surpasses me. I could probably have discovered the secrets of this place - assuming that the Clockmakers permitted me - but it would have taken me many days to do so. Mayhap she is more like the Guildmistress than I knew. I must speak to Master Parrel at the earliest opportunity.

"You realize that they don't actually need both those levers, Tarvan?"

"Hmm?"

"On that, what did you call it, year-wheel. The Spring is just the reverse of the Fall so the same lever could be used for both."

"As you say, Milsy. I would ask you not to say anything of this to the guildsmen, it might make them very annoyed."

"Annoyed? Why?"

"Because several guildsmen spent many bells of their lives designing and making this clock and to find out that some of that time and effort was wasted, well, wouldn't you be upset?"

Tarvan didn't notice that he accepted that Milsy's statement was correct. Somehow he knew it would be.

"Aye. As you say. Aye, you guildsmen can be a prickly lot, do you not agree?"

Tarvan smiled at her and replied, "As before, I deem it no different than the average kitchen. Some may be prickly, some not. Hebren, for example, resents your presence here and I would avoid upsetting him."

She gave him a coy look. "And yourself?"

"After attending the Guildmistress I am aware that matters might not be so simple. Yourself, for example. I would attend you later to discover more."

Milsy felt a glow inside and dimpled. "I would like that, Tarvan."

They both fell silent with their own thoughts. Tarvan stared upwards at the two guildsmen clambering over the mechanism while Milsy became fixated on the great pendulum, swinging to and fro in front of her.

A little later Milsy said, "I have an idea."

Tarvan now realized why Lady Merizel was frequently seen to roll her eyes.

"Aye? What amazing thing have you thought of now?"

"Look! Look at the pendulum. It swings to the same place each time, does it not? Yet the only reason it does so is because that rocker at the top gives it a little kick and that is all driven by that big weight as I explained."

"Aye, I understand that. What about it?"

"Well... suppose we put one of your electric switches down there, so that it just makes a circuit when the pendulum is right at the end of its swing. Then, we place a solenoid at the end of the swing so that it gives just enough pull to keep the pendulum swinging. It might have to be a bigger solenoid than those I made yesterday, I deem."

"Aye... oh, and you would use that switch to turn the solenoid on and off again? An interesting idea, but what gain does it provide us?"

"Why, we could do away with that big weight, of course! No more winding it up, no more losing time and having to correct it with a sand-dropper. The clock just goes on for ever."

The thought was so radical that at first Tarvan had trouble comprehending it fully. The Guildmistress had made similar leaps, of course, but they were of ideas already well-known on Earth. This was something new.

"You would need a battery, of course," he objected. "Where would you put it? Oh, it does not matter, does it? We can make the wires as long as we like."

"Exactly!" Milsy grinned at him. "It could be on the floor or a walkway or wherever it was convenient."

"Of course it would have to be taken away to be charged every so often. Even if you used more than one battery you would still lose a little time while you disconnected one and connected the other."

"Not so!" Her eyes were bright. "You connect the fresh one before you take away the old one."

Tarvan's jaw dropped. "Maker! You have thought this through, haven't you?"

The admiration was plain in his voice and Milsy's ears burned under the praise. Suddenly she was shy, offering an opinion on a subject neither of them knew anything about and for which she was certainly not qualified! Still, her conclusions could not be overlooked.

"I did not plan to, Tarvan. I just thought to answer the question, how to avoid the need to stop the clock when the weight must needs be wound up again. To me, the answer is to take away the weight completely. If the pendulum can be made to move by other means then the weight is not needed, is that not so?"

"I cannot deny it, Milsy, but, remember, we know little about how this clock functions. Guildsmen have probably spent centuries designing and perfecting what we see before us, it is not your place or mine to tell them how it must be done."

"That is not so," she replied stoutly. "It is plain to me how this great collection of wheels and weights functions now. If I see a way to improve what is here, why should I not tell them so? Besides, it is not as if we plan to damage what is here, we can let those who are knowledgeable about such matters consider what we tell them."

"Mayhap you are right, but you do not know the Guild system, Milsy. I tell you, they will object to anything you or I tell them. We are not of their guild therefore we can not know anything of the mysteries of clocks."

The argument swayed backwards and forewards under the bells as the clock struck the half and three-quarter chimes without either noticing. Tarvan's problem was that he knew that Milsy was probably right, but he also knew what the two guildsmen would say about it. Eventually the two descended to join them and the inevitable happened.

"We have finished," Hebren told them. "Have you enjoyed your visit? I trust that the bells were not too loud."

"We barely noticed the bells," Milsy said before Tarvan had a chance to speak. "We were taking about how it all works. Tell me, what is that rocker thing at the top of the pendulum called?"

"That? Oh, that is the escapement, we name it. I am surprised that you find this great clock so interesting."

"Well, I can see how the clock works now and I wanted to know the names of some of the special parts. You see, I had an idea about how to solve the problem of winding the weights up."

Hebren's eyes bulged. "Mistress?"

Milsy blithely carried on. "Aye, it occurred to me instead of that big weight down there it could be replaced by a solenoid, a switch and a battery. That would mean that you would never have to stop the clock to wind the weight."

Hebren's face went red. "This is outrageous! Do you tell me that a mere girl like yourself has learned in but the space of a bell what has taken guildsmen many years to understand? And that you seek, with such a small acquaintance with the subject, to challenge our knowledge? Impossible! Out! Out this instant! I am regretting that I ever permitted a woman to enter this chamber, let alone two!" He pointed a shaking finger at the stairway down. "And you, Master Tarvan, I shall be making a strong protest to your Guildmaster at the earliest opportunity! Out, I say! Leave!"

Tarvan placed a hand in the small of Milsy's back, turning her towards the stairway and indicating with a look that she should not argue. For once, she did not feel inclined to object. She turned and led the way back down to the doorway, closely followed by Bursila, Tarvan and then the two guildsmen.

Tord, standing guard outside the door, was surprised by the looks on everyone's faces as they emerged. Hebren turned and with a flourish locked the door, placing the key in his pouch and then securing it. He addressed Tord.

"We have no further need your services today, I deem. We can find our own way out from here."

As Hebren turned to go, Yubold appeared to want to remain behind and say something, but at a curt command from his senior he shrugged, turned and followed. The others watched the two guildsmen turn the corner and disappear.

"Something has happened." Tord stated the obvious.

"Aye, Tord," Tarvan agreed with a sigh. "Master Hebren does not take kindly to being told his craft. If you would escort us back to Milady's suite."

The journey back to the suite was conducted in near silence, the only words being those of Tord as he arranged their escort. At the door he had a question.

"Will Milady remain in her suite this afternoon?"

Milsy turned to him with a shrug. The full significance of the encounter had finally sunk in.

"I have nothing planned, Tord, but as you know I am at the Queen's pleasure. If any should desire to speak with me, ask before you admit them."

"As you command, Milady."

As the door closed behind them Milsy wrapped her arms around Tarvan and buried her face in his chest.

"Oh, Tarvan, what have I done? How stupid of me! I will be sent back to Dekarran now, I am certain of it."

Startled by the unexpected full-body contact, he gently put his arms around her shoulders, and with that movement came a resolution.

"I do not believe so, Milsy. Since the Guildmistress came to us I have seen other guildsmen of a similar kind and I do not like what I see. I am certain that when passions cool others will take a more measured response to Master Hebren's complaints. After all, the Guildmistress has many friends in the Hall of the Guilds."

"But I am not she!"

"That is true. Milsy, you are better."

At that brazen statement Milsy's head whipped up to stare at Tarvan.

"You make fun of me!"

"I do not." He released his arms and pushed her far enough away so that they could look at each other properly. "Milsy, you were right. I grant you that the Great Clock may have taken many years to design, construct and perfect but it was not so difficult to understand, especially with your explanations. The Guildmistress tells us that her knowledge comes from what her people are taught. You discovered the workings of the Great Clock without such knowledge, from mere observation. I doubt the Guildmistress could have done it in the time we had."

"But... he has locked the door. He will complain to your Guildmaster. I have put your position in jeopardy. I have ruined everything."

Tarvan amazed Milsy by smiling. "Indeed, and I wish him luck with his complaints. The Great Clock is not his, nor does it belong to his guild, it is part of the palace and thus belongs to the King. There will be other keys available should we desire to visit the clock on our own, though I would not presently advise it. My Guildmaster is Parrel and he is a friend and confidant of the Guildmistress. Hebren will obtain no satisfaction there." His expression sobered. "A complaint of a journeyman by a guildsman will be taken seriously, I deem, but my time is almost ended. I did nothing wrong - we did nothing wrong. We touched nothing, merely observed and speculated. I do not think I will suffer for it, though I am not sure of the regulations in that respect."

There was a knock at the door and Tarvan and Milsy hastily separated. It opened to reveal three servant women with trays of food.

Tarvan said, "Ah, just in time! I will inform the Baroness that her lunch has arrived. Milsy, do you prepare the table for the dishes."

Milsy, playing the obedient servant, curtseyed. "As you wish, Master Tarvan."

With the table laid and the servants departed, Milsy turned to Tarvan. "Are you coming to eat?"

"You must needs change first," he replied. "Look at your skirt."

"What?"

She looked down to see two lines of black dirt crossing at an angle from front to back. Bursila provided an explanation.

"Milady, while the guildsmen were diligent in cleaning the mechanism, they took no account of the walkways or stairs. If you would look at your hands."

Milsy turned up her hands and found them both black from gripping the handrails. She guiltily realized that she had probably smeared dirt all over Tarvan's back.

"I'm sorry," she told him, "I didn't realize."

He smiled back. "Do not concern yourself, Milsy, I am a guildsman, I have suffered worse. Bursila, go and clean up your mistress."

"Aye, Master Tarvan."

With Milsy cleaned up and changed back into a day gown, the three sat down to lunch. When they began eating, she offered an apology.

"I'm sorry, Tarvan, I should not have grabbed you like that, it was not seemly. I was... upset that I might have damaged your career."

Tarvan took a fruit and deftly sliced it with his knife. "Do not concern yourself, Milsy. No real damage has been done, except mayhap hand-prints on my back." He grinned and she blushed. "If you feel the need to do it again, I would not object, assuming that the circumstances permitted it, of course."

Milsy understood the double nature of his last statement, that if they were to become closer then indeed, the circumstances would be appropriate.

Trying to keep a straight face she merely agreed, "As you say, Tarvan."

He gestured with his knife. "Of course, your idea may be tested, you know."

"How? I dare not go near the Great Clock again and I doubt that there are any others nearby."

"We do not require an entire clock to test your idea, merely a pendulum. If I were to set one up in the laboratory, then we could use some of the spare coils to test your idea."

She thought this through and then nodded. "Aye. I am not yet used to the thought that I may try any idea that I may have, using what may be available. Can we try that this afternoon?"

"I do not see why not," Tarvan replied. "It should take but little time to arrange and the experiment may tell us much."

"As you say."

* * *

Milsy's nap and subsequent conversation with the Queen had been without incident. If Terys had spoken to Tord, either he had not mentioned the incident or the Queen had not considered it important. When she left the Queen's Sitting Room she had made her now familiar trip to the corridors to the Laboratory. Inside, she found that Tarvan had begun to fabricate a simple pendulum.

"There is not much to it, is there?"

"As you say, Milsy. There is more than enough lying around here from the previous experiments to provide what we need."

The pendulum weight was simply one of the smaller iron cores Garia and Tarvan had used at the beginning of their experiments. This was crudely wrapped in one end of a length of stiff copper wire, the other being formed into a mis-shapen loop. The item was then hung from a hook screwed into a piece of wood clamped to the end of a bench so that the pendulum swung free over the end.

"First," he said, "I think we ought to see what the pendulum will do when left by itself. If you would count how long it takes to stop, Milsy, while I collect a battery and the other bits and pieces we will need."

"Count? How?"

"Use your pulse. That is the way it is usually done, I deem."

"But pulses vary all the time," she objected, then thought. "If you had described this experiment before we left, we could have brought Garia's portable clock with us and used that."

"As you say. A good idea."

The pendulum took a long time to stop. Milsy decided to repeat the experiment, swinging the pendulum a different amount each time and finding that the period times were fairly close. By that time Tarvan was organized and laid out the battery, solenoid and switch contacts ready to be positioned.

Their first electrical attempt ended with a solid clunk as the weight stuck to the solenoid.

"Either our battery or our solenoid is too strong," Tarvan explained. "Since we cannot change either, we will have to move the solenoid further away. In our final test, we do not want any contact at all anyway so we might as well begin that way."

Milsy considered this. "The battery... voltage..? depends on the chemicals so cannot be easily adjusted, though you can multiply the voltage by chaining batteries together. That does not help us because we want less, not more." Tarvan nodded. "But the strength of the coil depends on the size of the magnetic field it makes, and that depends on how many turns are wound on the solenoid."

"So I am told, Milsy, but there is no time today to make a special solenoid. If we cannot get this to work then we could make one tomorrow." He smiled at her. "Sometimes it takes a while to find the right way to make a new idea work. It does not always happen immediately."

"As you say."

Eventually they found the right distances and placements to make the pendulum continue swinging.

"There! You are right, as I always knew you would be. This battery is reasonably fresh and the demands on it minor, so I suggest we leave everything going and come back tomorrow. That will be our real test."

"Do you really think it will still be working tomorrow?"

"I will be very disappointed if it is not, Milsy. What we have done this afternoon is solid engineering and the work is as good as any the Guildmistress has shown us."

"I wish you would not keep comparing me with her, Tarvan. This experiment won't be enough to change the mind of Master Hebren, I deem."

"Indeed, but it may make a suitable impression on certain other Guildmasters. Until tomorrow, then. Bursila, it is time to return your mistress to her gilded cage."

"As you wish, Master Tarvan."

* * *

Milsy was attempting to read a scroll Tarvan had selected out of the Questor's study. The time was late evening and she expected to retire shortly. A knock came on the sitting room door and Tord entered.

"Milady, the Queen requests your presence in her sitting room."

"Oh?" Her heart sank. Hebren had obviously made his complaint and the consequences had found their way back to the palace. She put the scroll on the table and stood. "I'm coming."

In the Queen's Sitting Room she found, to her surprise, Terys, Robanar, Tarvan and another man who she guessed was a guildsman.

"Be seated, dear," Terys instructed her. "An incident earlier today has caused concern among the guilds and Master Parrel here, lately returned from some project outside the city, has come to investigate."

Milsy curtseyed and found a chair.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, I didn't mean to cause trouble. It was Tarvan's idea to take me to see the Great Clock but he should not be blamed for my actions."

"I am not assigning blame to anyone," Terys said. "This is properly a matter for the guilds, but as you are presently in my employ and the circumstances are unusual I thought it better to oversee the discussion. Master Parrel, if you would."

"Ma'am."

Parrel's voice was deeper than that of Tarvan but he was probably old enough to be Tarvan's father. Milsy didn't feel that he was angry with what had occurred, but then he hadn't said anything yet. He addressed Tarvan. "I have received a complaint from the Clockmakers' Guild, concerning both yourself and this young lady here. Even after hearing only their version of the tale I do not consider that any harm has been done. I would, however, desire to hear your side of the argument."

He turned to Milsy. "Mistress, I do not know how to address you. I became aware that His Majesty intended some subterfuge when we met in Dekarran but I knew not what. You are, I deem, the same size and build as Lady Garia, your hair is in the same style and you wear one of her gowns, so I deduce that she is not in the palace, as it would seem, but somewhere else entirely, and that you are a substitute for her."

Milsy looked at Robanar, who grunted. "Aye, you have the gist of it, Parrel. We will explain all later. For now, address her as 'Mistress'. Continue with your questions."

"Tarvan, if you would."

"Master, it was like this."

In order for his story to make sense Tarvan went back and recounted most of what had happened since Milsy had arrived at the palace. This caused Parrel to raise his eyebrows on several occasions. Tarvan then described the day's events which caused Parrel to become even more interested.

"You describe a way to improve the Great Clock? After studying it for no more than a bell?"

"We do," Tarvan replied, "and we can prove that Milsy's idea works, Master, if you would come to the laboratory tomorrow morning." He coughed. "Master, I could not have determined how the Great Clock worked in so short a time. The idea is all Milsy's. I deem she is good enough to become a guildswoman, Master. I beg you, consider enrolling her before some other would snap her up."

"Is that so?" Parrel glanced at Robanar. "You have found another one, I deem, like Lady Garia. If I may consider this request seriously?"

"You would take the word of your journeyman, Parrel?"

"By tomorrow's sunset he will be journeyman no more, Sire. Since he guides a new craft, I intend petitioning the Guildmasters to make him Craftmaster at the very least. His craft will require it into the future as you are well aware. As for Mistress Milsy, I have no doubt that she will be as interesting a guildswoman as Lady Garia has become, though perhaps in a different fashion. Aye, I am serious and I would ensure that she is properly instructed and cared for."

Both Milsy and Tarvan sat watching this conversation with open mouths. Suddenly, everything had changed and their futures would not be as either had expected.

"My dear?" Robanar turned to Terys.

"I wondered if this was to be the future of our newest retainer, dear, but I did not expect matters to move so fast. Milsy, dear, what say you?"

"Uh, Ma'am. I don't know what to say. If I may have some time to think about it?"

"Of course, dear. We are not going to make you do something you do not want to, or that might be unsuitable."

Tarvan said, "Ma'am, it would be best to wait until tomorrow. I desire to show Master Parrel evidence of what I have described this evening."

Terys decided, "Then we shall leave all in your hands, Parrel, but be aware that Milsy still plays the part of Garia outside these chambers and must be addressed so, even by yourself. Am I understood?"

"Aye, Ma'am. It shall be as you command."

"Then let us permit these two young folk to retire while we describe what happened in Dekarran and our reasons for it."

"Ma'am."

* * *

Milsy had heard about storms that were said to lift people up and deposit them marks away, usually injured, but she had never experienced such a thing. Lying in bed it had become impossible to sleep.

This is just like one of those storms. I've been picked up out of my humble life as a kitchen servant and I am about to be flung... who knows where? Me, a guildswoman? Ridiculous! Tarvan... well, now, he is another matter, but I never thought I could be his equal. Were they all just flattering me? How should I know? All of this is a mystery to me.

Maker, I'm enjoying it though! All that electrical stuff, even the boring parts like varnishing wire. I wonder what else can be done with electricity and solenoids? Hmm. So long as I can have Tarvan to help me...

Eventually, sleep came.