Mercury Rising

In an alternate version of Victorian England, two engineers work together to build a steam locomotive that will break previous speed records. Lord Clifton, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, has sponsored a Grand Challenge to celebrate his 70th birthday in April of 1876. The object is to design and build a locomotive that can draw a train from Bristol to London in the shortest possible time. The prestigious prize for the winner is the exclusive contract to construct a whole class of locomotives founded on the winning prototype. Harriet Colton is one of the new generation of "professional gentlewomen" encouraged by Queen Victoria. Working with her father, a well-established builder of locomotives, she has created a design for the steam engine Mercury, hoping to win the challenge. Working alongside her is Royston Staley, an engineer hired by her father. While there is some rivalry at first, Harriet and Royston learn to work together and find themselves falling in love, but any acknowledgment of their connection must wait until after the challenge has been run.