The bell tower of St. Rumbold's Cathedral was ninety-seven meters high. According to the free-fall formula h = 1/2gt², taking gravitational acceleration as 9.8 meters per second, it would take a little over four seconds, but less than five, to fall from the top of the tower—much faster than the half hour it took to climb up.
Of course, most people would not choose that method of "descent." Yet even going down the stairs inside the tower without missing a step would take at least five minutes. That was enough time for the Garuda to dive from high in the sky and smash into the tower.
Before dying, it would turn into a mass of flames. In short, Georgiana regarded it as a kind of bomb. Though the bell tower had sturdy stone walls, she was not sure they could withstand it. Besides, the hastily sealed top of the tower was made of bricks and could easily be blasted apart.
She had no time to explain. She grabbed Bonaparte and charged downstairs. Before long, another person joined them from behind: Lieven Bauwens, one of the "knights" she had invested that day. He was regarded as Belgium's "Prometheus," having stolen the "fire"—textile techniques and machinery—from the British. He wanted to build factories in Ghent, but machines alone were useless without workers. Saint Catherine's aid to the Order of Knights was directed toward widows and orphans, precisely the labor force he needed.
The fact that he had managed to evade the British blockade after blockade and transport the equipment back home showed that he was no ordinary man. Now, seeing that things had gone wrong, he was the first to follow them in fleeing.
Before long, scattered footsteps came from upstairs as well. She was somewhat worried about Archbishop Roquelaure.
"You go