The Cogspeare Conspiracy (The Cogspeare Chronicles Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

one of our longest standing clients is the South West Spesium Mining Corporation. You know of them?”
                  “Yes, indeed. They are the largest, and, with a recent subsidiary acquisition, the only spesium mining company in the British Isles. They mine spesium, which is then combined with heavily diluted sulphuric acid, and the result is coal syrup. That’s the red fluid, which, when reacted with carbon, quickly and rather violently oxidizes. The coal syrup, in effect, is an enzyme that increases the efficiency of coal by at least seventy percent.”
                  “Good lord, how do you know so much about the stuff?” Grimsby sat back, stunned and rather impressed by his protégé.
                  “My father discovered spesium and invented coal syrup.”
                  “Oh,” Grimsby replied. It made sense, in a rather perverse way, that this repressed young man and the nation’s foremost mad scientist were related. “Yes, well, we have long since been close with the SWSMC, but have not yet had the pleasure of representing them in court. Today, however, Mr. Liniver, a member of their board of directors and their head solicitor, paid me a visit. It seems that his man, well, actually Lord Clinton’s man, went to Cornwall to see that everything was going smoothly, and actually found out that they’re going to sue them! Can you imagine?” Grimsby chuckled loudly, though Magnus did not join him.
                  “Why?”
                  Grimsby rose from his chair and began to circle around the room, gently touching the knick-knacks that peppered the polished surfaces of the side table and shelves.
                  “A few weeks ago there was an explosion in the mine, totally destroying their main extraction shaft. If you can believe it, the miners are actually suing the company for damages, saying it was the SWSMC’s fault.”
    “And was it?” At that, Grimsby frowned slightly, and quickly replied, “No, of course not. These miners are just using this case as an excuse to get publicity, trying to coerce the company into paying higher wages. But look, Magnus, Liniver said that he wanted my personal input on this case, but I had to turn him down. I still have those other cases with the members of the House” the House of Lords, that is, “and I couldn’t possibly give it my full attention. Liniver wanted the best, though, and so I’m giving you the case.” Magnus sucked in breath.
                  “Me?”
                  “Yes, indeed. You are the best barrister in the firm, and I have very high hopes for you. The way you handled the Ballaster case just reconfirmed my suspicions, that you could very well be the brightest and most powerful barrister in the country within a few years. Soon, a judge-ship will be yours for the asking, perhaps even a title like my own. You might even run this very firm one day. But all this is in the future. What is in the present is that, once you win this case for us- and of that I have no doubt, a paltry squabble, nothing more- you will be made a full partner. The first of this firm.” Grimsby sat back beatifically.
                  Magnus swallowed, and managed to reply,
                  “This is an incredible opportunity, sir. Thank you so very, very much.” They shook hands warmly. “I look forward to defeating those miners who would want to smear the reputation of the SWSMC.”
                  “That’s the spirit, lad! So, you’ll have to go to the House tomorrow and have them send a writ of certiorari . It would usually take the House a few days to make room in the schedule for us, but because of the importance of this case, we should be in the House very, very soon. I should think a day, at the outside two, should be enough for the pitiful trail, don’t you?”
                  Magnus frowned.