‘I was thinking more of the cubic capacity,’ said Gunson. ‘Toxteth holds only two million gallons of water to serve a small area. Our reservoirs aim to satisfy the demands of the town now and in the future.’

‘Well.’ Webster turned to look down the valley. ‘It is always a pleasure to escape from the soot and smoke of the town and breathe in the fresh country air. You want to resume Agden works and I am sympathetic to that, despite the very many and wonderfully contradictory opinions in your profession about the cause of your last dam’s collapse.’

Gunson kept his tone mild. ‘We contend a landslip was a contributing factor. In any event, we’re mindful of the points that have been made. Agden here,’ he gestured to the scene below, ‘we can’t delay for much longer. The mill owners, the factories and the inhabitants of the town need clean water and it will be on our heads if supplies dry up again this summer and we are forced to apply curfews.’

‘I agree with you on that.’ Webster laughed. ‘I fully agree. So instead of preaching to the converted, tell me why you really asked me to accompany you today.’

‘Why, getting construction underway again was certainly one of the reasons,’ said Gunson. ‘I must admit I had not expected you to be so sympathetic, especially after Rawlinson’s report, which may have leaned towards your jurymen’s assertion that the engineering was at fault…’

‘It did more than lean, John. It positively genuflected.’ Webster tucked his thumbs into his waistcoat. ‘But let us get to the point.’

Gunson rubbed his beard. ‘I am a mere employee…’

‘The chief engineer, no less, and architect of our water supply. Sometimes your diffidence does you no credit, John.’

‘Let me speak, then. I see how diligent the company is and how committed to supplying this town, and has been for the past thirty years. I doubt the town could run water services more cost effectively.’

‘Ah, we are back to that.’

‘Of course. We’re setting the rate increase not for the benefit of shareholders but so that we can meet our obligations to the town, and that is in the provision of a constant supply of water, as well as meeting the costs of compensation to those who suffered losses in the misadventure.’

‘Misadventure, you say.’ Webster sighed. ‘An interesting choice of word. I saw the bodies laid out in the workhouse, young and old together. I saw the people come in to identify their dead. You were there, too, John. And yet you speak of “misadventure”.’

‘I have heard the flood described otherwise, for example, as a disgrace to science. I prefer not to use such inflammatory language. All I want to do is build reservoirs.’

‘You could build them as an employee of the Corporation.’

Gunson sighed. ‘Shall we return to town?’

Webster said, ‘I am sorry, I do not wish to toy with you. You must know I admire you, John. I know you are a man dedicated to his work. It’s a simple matter. The council is proposing to purchase the waterworks company, but it is contingent on whether you put up the rate by twenty-five per cent. Some twelve thousand people of the town have signed a petition against it.’