Chapter 235: The Controversial Laboratory

The death of the Duke went without announcement.

No bells rang. No messengers rode through the streets. No priest was summoned to announce the passing of one of Spain’s most powerful nobles.

Luis María made sure of that.

He kept the news buried within the walls of the Lerma estate, allowing only a handful of trusted servants to know the truth. Even among them, silence was enforced through fear.

There was too much at stake.

If word spread too soon, the Crown would intervene, creditors would appear like vultures, and distant relatives would suddenly remember their blood ties to the House of Lerma. Luis María needed time—time to seize control of his father’s accounts, estates, and influence before anyone could challenge him.

But money and titles were not his only concern.

His brother.

Luis María knew it would be impossible to convince Carlos if the Duke was already dead. Carlos had always respected their father, and the old man’s authority still carried weight even across the ocean.

So Luis María began forming a plan.

He would send a letter to Francisco in Germany, written in the Duke’s name. The message would speak of illness and request the young man’s presence in Spain to visit his dying grandfather.

Once the boy arrived, everything would fall into place.

With Francisco in his hands, Luis María could force Carlos to return from New Granada. A father would never abandon his son.

And accidents… accidents happened all the time during long sea voyages.

If Carlos were to perish on the journey back to Spain, Luis María would gain everything.

Control of the family.

Control of the fortune.

And most importantly, control of the brilliant young nephew whose inventions were already beginning to attract attention.

Thinking about it, Luis María’s eyes gleamed with naked greed.

What he did not expect, however, was that the servants were not fools.

They had noticed the strange silence surrounding the Duke. Those who usually attended him had suddenly disappeared, and no one had been allowed near his chambers for days.

They whispered among themselves in kitchens and corridors.

Something was wrong.

Most suspected the truth but dared not say it openly.

What they did not know was that among them was a spy from the University of Göttingen.

The man had been planted there months ago on the orders of the university’s director. He understood the importance of Francisco to the institution—and he also knew that Spain would not remain passive forever.

It was only a matter of time before someone attempted to bring the boy back.

And the House of Lerma was the most likely source of trouble.

The information reached Göttingen one week later.

Christian frowned as he finished reading the letter sent by the spy.

“So… the Duke is dead?” he asked quietly.

Ever since the situation surrounding Francisco had begun attracting attention, Christian had become extremely cautious. He feared that Britain, Spain, or some other power might attempt to interfere with his brilliant student.

Still, he had not expected news from Spain so soon.

“That’s right, sir,” replied the man standing across the desk.

“Based on the reports from our agent inside the Duke’s household, they are certain the Duke has died. However, the heir—Luis María de la Soledad Fernández de Córdoba y Gonzaga…”

The man paused and shook his head.

“I truly hate how long Spanish names are.”

Christian allowed himself a faint smile.

“He appears to be hiding the death,” the agent continued. “Personally, I believe it has something to do with your student. He may try to send a letter to Francisco—perhaps pretending to be the Duke and asking him to visit Spain.”

Christian leaned back in his chair.

“That’s interesting,” he said slowly. “I thought that boy wanted nothing to do with Carlos Gómez or his sons.”

He tapped the letter thoughtfully against the desk.

“If he’s suddenly interested in Francisco, then I’m fairly certain the Spanish Crown is involved somehow.”

He sighed.

“I suppose I should speak with the boy.”

The agent bowed slightly.

“You may continue your mission,” Christian added. “Send me any information you can obtain from the Lerma household.”

The man gave a small bow and quietly left the office.

Christian remained seated for a moment, thinking carefully about the information he had just received. The situation was becoming more complicated than he had expected.

After a few moments he stepped outside into the corridor and called for his assistant.

“Where is that boy, Francisco?” he asked.

The assistant adjusted the papers in his hands before replying.

“I heard he’s in the building he constructed outside the university—the one where he works with those students he recruited.”

Christian frowned slightly.

“The women?” he asked with some curiosity. “Was he really able to find women willing to work there?”

He had only given partial permission for Francisco to hire female scientists for his laboratory. In truth, he had never expected the young man to succeed. Not only were most men opposed to women participating in science, but many women themselves believed such work was improper.

Yet apparently Francisco had managed it.

“Yes,” the assistant replied. “He managed to attract several women who were tired of seeing their discoveries taken by men. Some of them are quite talented.”

He paused before continuing.

“There is one in particular who left a strong impression on me. Her name is Carolina Herschel. It seems her brother took credit for many of her discoveries. When she heard about Francisco and his wife’s laboratory, she left him and came directly to Göttingen to accept a position as an astronomer.”

Christian raised his eyebrows slightly.

“That is… impressive.”

The assistant hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“However… there are also some unpleasant rumors spreading about Francisco.”

Christian’s expression hardened.

“What kind of rumors?”

“Some people claim he built the laboratory as a… harem. Like those Ottoman nobles who keep women for their own pleasure.”

The assistant frowned deeply.

“For now, most people inside Göttingen do not seem too concerned. The students here tend to be more liberal in their thinking. But in Hannover and the surrounding estates, the rumors are spreading quickly.”

He sighed.

“I do not know if that could eventually harm the reputation of the university.”

The rumors angered him more than he wished to admit.

Part of the reason was personal.

When his wife first heard about the women’s laboratory, she had been excited. She had even asked him if he could help her find a position there.

But after hearing the rumors, she decided to stay home rather than risk her reputation.

Seeing the disappointment on her face had made him furious.

He knew Francisco was not the kind of man who would create such a place. In truth, Francisco barely even managed the building. Most of the administration was handled by his wife.

The laboratory complex itself was divided into separate buildings. The women’s research building—where Catalina worked with her colleagues—was entirely separate from Francisco’s own workshop.

Francisco preferred it that way.

He often joked that he felt more comfortable destroying his own equipment than damaging university property during his experiments.

Still, the assistant had not told his wife any of this.

Rumors, once started, were difficult to fight.

Christian stepped outside the university library and signaled for a carriage.

“I’m going to visit the laboratory,” he said.

The carriage soon began moving through the streets of Göttingen.

The recent protests in the city had finally calmed, though the situation had required a delicate compromise.

Without the support of Göttingen’s scholars and students, the government of Hannover knew that sending troops into the town would be dangerous. The university’s influence over the population was simply too strong.

In the end, the government had granted the University of Göttingen almost complete autonomy over the town.

In exchange, the region would fall under the military authority of Hannover. The government promised not to send troops into the city of Göttingen itself, but the surrounding territories would be placed under strict military administration. They did not want the protests and opposition spreading beyond the university town.

It was a helpless compromise.

Britain was unable to send troops to assist Hannover while the war against France continued. At the same time, the attempted kidnapping of Francisco and Georg Christoph Lichtenberg had already created deep resentment among scholars, students, and even many soldiers stationed in the region. Many people believed Britain had brought unnecessary trouble upon the university and its citizens.

Under those circumstances, any aggressive action against Göttingen could easily provoke even greater unrest.

On top of that, Francisco’s growing industrial enterprises had begun bringing enormous revenue to the university. With this new income, Göttingen no longer depended entirely on financial support from the government of Hannover.

The situation was further complicated by the university’s expanding industries across several cities in the Electorate. Francisco’s steam machine production, in particular, had created a network of workshops and workers whose livelihoods depended on local stability.

Any attempt to suppress the university by force risked damaging the economy of the entire region.

For Hannover, acting against Göttingen was no longer a simple political decision—it had become a dangerous gamble.

Göttingen was no longer just a university town.

It was becoming something far more important.

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