Sam sighed, moved the books from the visitor’s chair and sat. Riley watched, but said nothing. “You see no third possibility at all? Maybe I’m a congenial bloke who only wants to help people.”
“Your work for Lord Dunmore enriches you. You are building an empire, sir.”
Sam laughed. “An empire? I have no answer to that charge, I’m afraid. I’m sure my team will find it amusing.” His gaze sharpened as he grew serious. “You object to my earning a living, sir? Surely you wouldn’t be happier if Casey and I were still living on the streets of Belfast?”
Riley’s mouth twitched. “You could have seen the girl safely in a shelter, if you were really concerned about her. I have serious doubts as to your motives, but Mr. Andrews seems certain you have cared for her to the best of your ability.”
“I have, I assure you,” Sam said. “At times, I despaired that my ability was so poor, but we seem to have recovered.” He leaned forward, a hand resting lightly on Riley’s desk. “Dr. Riley, please. We have so much to offer one another. I swear, that every word I told you at our first meeting was the absolute truth. You were my only hope, and I am in your debt for the help you were able to give us. I understand your disturbance, and your doubt. But can you not see your way to a collaboration, or at least, a truce?”
Riley was silent, elbows propped on his desk, his hands folded, tapping his mouth with his fingers. He answered slowly. “I promised Mr. Andrews that I would not hurt the young lady, or impugn his involvement with her. I intend to keep that promise. But your work, sir.” He shook his head, agitated. “If your story is true, I can only assume you are on a deliberate course to control the future, using knowledge that only you have access to. This makes you unaccountably powerful and dangerous. No man should have such power, sir. I don’t know how I can stop you. But I know I must try.”
Sam sat calmly in the chair, a foot propped on the other knee, hands folded in his lap, eyes on Riley’s face. He thought of the dictators of the twentieth century, the suffering and destruction awaiting the world’s population in the years to come. He knew he was not like those dictators. But he understood Riley’s concerns, better than Riley could ever imagine.
“You have no idea how right you are,” he said with quiet conviction. “I can promise you that I have no desire for total power, or even excessive riches, but you have no way of knowing if I’m sincere or not. So let me be as honest as I can: I do have an agenda.” Riley’s hands jerked at this admission, but Sam continued. “I want to understand what happened when Casey and I came back in time. I want the research on time travel to continue. To do that, I have to build up the technology, bring it up to, and past, the point of the twenty-first century. I have to do it as quickly as possible. I’m already sixty-one, Dr. Riley. If I am to see any advances in my lifetime, it’s got to happen right away.”
Riley shook his head, disturbed. “That’s not possible, Dr. Altair.”
“I know.” Sam’s words were a bleak admission he seldom let himself acknowledge. “But I’ll do what I can. I’ll have the team in place and they’ll be able to continue. In the meantime, the advances I’m suggesting serve the double purpose of advancing technology, and improving the quality of life. Is any of that really evil?”
“We aren’t ready for it, Dr. Altair.” Riley’s cigar had long since gone out and he threw it on his desk. “The danger is that you push us too far, too fast. How do we adjust to technology that will seem like magic to most people? That only a few elite scientists or engineers are able to understand? You will be building a super race of humans who could wield god-like power over the rest of us. How will you prevent that?”
“A foundation for education,” Sam replied.
“A what?”
“All investors are required to donate a portion to establish a foundation for education. In addition, a portion of every sale of every invention goes into this foundation. The idea is to fund public education enough to advance society along with the technology. It’s too late for most adults to catch up, that’s true. But the children will be taught as they grow with the changes.”
Riley stared at him, open-mouthed. Sam hesitated, but went on. “And not just Protestants, not just boys. Everyone—boys, girls, Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, whatever. Not just Irish, either, although of course, we’re starting here. You see, if everyone is educated and understands at least a little bit, there’s no room for a super race. They can all have a part.”
Riley closed his eyes, then stood and turned toward the window, gazing unseeing at the light. After a moment, he spoke. “What does Dunmore think you are doing?”
“He thinks that I just want to work as a physicist. That I’m qualified but don’t have the actual degree. That I have a lot of good ideas and I’m willing to work with a team of scientists to make those ideas a reality. He has realized he can truly profit from my approach. That Ireland and the UK can profit from it.”
Riley turned, leaning against the window sill. “You’re trying to build Utopia.”
Sam shook his head. “That would be nice, but I’m too pragmatic. I’ll settle for a world that’s willing to work toward it.”
“Have you always been so altruistic? Is this the way of people in your world?”
“Hardly! Altruism varies within any population. My world is no better or worse than this one.” Sam pursed his lips as a thought occurred to him. “Do you object to altruism, Dr. Riley? To different types of people working together and getting along?”
“I?” Riley looked surprised. “Of course I don’t object to it. I just don’t think it will happen.” He straightened, tugging his vest straight. “I don’t trust you, Dr. Altair. If you are not insane, then you are naïve, perhaps because you believe we are simpletons. I suspect that the application of your incredible knowledge will destroy us all.” His face was hard. “I don’t know how, but I intend to stop you, sir. At the least, to slow you down.”
Sam nodded, uncertain and worried.
Chapter 25
August 1907
Helping himself to some of the raw greens that Casey insisted on serving at nearly every dinner, Tom paused to glare at Sam in surprise. “But you’re Casey’s guardian,” he protested, unable to understand Sam’s demurring the idea of living at Dunallon. “You shouldn’t have to be alone.”
“My guardianship of Casey is a cover story for society, Tom. As Riley has pointed out, there is no real relationship,” Sam reminded him.
They were having dinner at Dunallon, after Casey and Penny had spent the day supervising the installation of wallpaper. Tom had innocently asked Sam which design he’d wanted for his bedroom, only to discover Sam had not considered living with them.
Even Casey was surprised. “Except that you’ve taken complete responsibility for me since the moment we got here. The relationship is real, whether it’s legal or not.”
“That’s true,” Sam agreed. “Although you have also taken care of me. But that doesn’t mean I should impose on your new life.”
“Impose? Is that how elders are treated in your time?” Tom asked.
Casey smothered a snicker.
Sam just sighed. “In our time, I’m not considered an elder, Tom. A little past my prime, but…”
Tom backtracked. “That’s not what I meant. You’re in excellent health, Sam. Nevertheless,” he looked to Casey, who was too busy trying not to giggle to be much help. “Oh, for heaven’s sake. I always walk into these things and never see them coming.”