After dinner, when everyone had gathered in the main house and the excitement surrounding Alexander and Roxana's marriage had finally settled into comfortable family chatter, Jonathan arrived carrying a large tube beneath his arm. He placed it on the dining table with the seriousness of a man presenting military plans rather than construction drawings.
Naturally, that immediately captured everyone's attention.
"What now?" Catherine asked suspiciously as Jonathan carefully unrolled several sheets across the table.
Jonathan ignored her and smoothed the corners flat before turning the blueprints around for everyone to see.
"This," he said, tapping the plans with a finger, "is your new laboratory."
The conversation around the table died instantly.
Catherine leaned forward.
The others followed.
