Tory decided to ask something she’d been curious about. “When you visited me the night before I was sent to Lackland, I got the impression that you also have some magical ability.”
Sarah looked away. “A little, perhaps. Hardly any at all.”
“You have enough that it worries you,” Tory pointed out. “Have you ever experimented to see what you can do?”
“Well,” Sarah said reluctantly. “I’ve found that if I concentrate on someone making a journey, they usually have a safe, fast trip with no bad weather.”
Tory’s brows arched. “Did you do that for me?”
Sarah nodded. “I wanted you to arrive as soon as possible, not get bogged down somewhere like Worcestershire.”
“It worked,” Tory said, impressed. “So you’re a weather mage, like Mama.”
“Our mother is a weather mage?” her sister gasped, eyes rounding.
“She won’t admit it, but haven’t you ever thought it odd that the weather for her outdoor fetes and entertainments is always good?”
“I … I never realized. So I came by my ability from her.” Sarah shook her head. “It isn’t fair that she and I were able to escape unscathed while your life was ruined.”
Tory gave a bittersweet smile. “Though my life has been drastically changed, it wasn’t ruined.” She thought of Allarde. Should she tell Sarah about him? No, it would require too many explanations. “There are some splendid compensations.”
“You aren’t just saying that to make me feel better?” Sarah asked, wanting to believe but not yet convinced.
Tory laughed. “I’m your little sister. Have I ever tried to make your life easier?”
That made Sarah laugh, too. “I wonder if Geoffrey has any magical talent?” Tory said thoughtfully. “Since you and I do, there’s a good chance he does also. Though he might not realize it.”
Her sister looked startled. “I never considered that.”
“Magic is the great forbidden subject for the wellborn,” Tory said dryly. “Since I’m already an outcast, I can think and talk about it. But I won’t while I’m here at Layton Place. Mustn’t make the other guests feel uncomfortable. So fortunate that I’m so small and harmless looking.”
Sarah grinned. “No one who knows you would think you harmless, but you should be able to fool the Hawthornes while you’re here.”
A footman entered with a large tea tray. As he was setting up the teapot, tiny sandwiches, and cakes, Lord Roger arrived. “Tory, I’m so glad you’re here.”
He seemed to mean it, too. Lord Roger Hawthorne was the youngest son of a marquess, a Member of Parliament, and as intelligent as he was amiable. Though not as strikingly handsome as Allarde, he was attractive and good-natured.
Sarah had had several seasons in London without finding a man she wanted to marry, though she hadn’t lacked for offers. Then she met Lord Roger. The two of them started talking and hadn’t stopped since. Sarah would make a wonderful political hostess. Tory was sure that Roger would end up in the cabinet, maybe even be Prime Minister someday.
But now he was about to become her brother-in-law, and his smile was wide and welcoming. Tory rose and clasped his hand. “Thank you for letting me come, Lord Roger. It would have been safer for your career if you hadn’t.”
As he kissed Sarah’s cheek and accepted a steaming cup of tea from her, he said, “Sarah wanted you at the wedding, and what Sarah wants, Sarah gets.”
They exchanged besotted smiles before sitting and giving the cakes and small sandwiches the attention they deserved. Tory was ravenous and tackled the food with gusto. Her appetite had been robust since leaving Lackland.
As she ate a third miniature sandwich, she realized her hunger was because she was using her power more now that she was away from the school. Magic was a constant extra sense observing the world, like hearing and smelling. As she polished off the last of the triangular sandwiches, she said rather guiltily,
Sarah looked away. “A little, perhaps. Hardly any at all.”
“You have enough that it worries you,” Tory pointed out. “Have you ever experimented to see what you can do?”
“Well,” Sarah said reluctantly. “I’ve found that if I concentrate on someone making a journey, they usually have a safe, fast trip with no bad weather.”
Tory’s brows arched. “Did you do that for me?”
Sarah nodded. “I wanted you to arrive as soon as possible, not get bogged down somewhere like Worcestershire.”
“It worked,” Tory said, impressed. “So you’re a weather mage, like Mama.”
“Our mother is a weather mage?” her sister gasped, eyes rounding.
“She won’t admit it, but haven’t you ever thought it odd that the weather for her outdoor fetes and entertainments is always good?”
“I … I never realized. So I came by my ability from her.” Sarah shook her head. “It isn’t fair that she and I were able to escape unscathed while your life was ruined.”
Tory gave a bittersweet smile. “Though my life has been drastically changed, it wasn’t ruined.” She thought of Allarde. Should she tell Sarah about him? No, it would require too many explanations. “There are some splendid compensations.”
“You aren’t just saying that to make me feel better?” Sarah asked, wanting to believe but not yet convinced.
Tory laughed. “I’m your little sister. Have I ever tried to make your life easier?”
That made Sarah laugh, too. “I wonder if Geoffrey has any magical talent?” Tory said thoughtfully. “Since you and I do, there’s a good chance he does also. Though he might not realize it.”
Her sister looked startled. “I never considered that.”
“Magic is the great forbidden subject for the wellborn,” Tory said dryly. “Since I’m already an outcast, I can think and talk about it. But I won’t while I’m here at Layton Place. Mustn’t make the other guests feel uncomfortable. So fortunate that I’m so small and harmless looking.”
Sarah grinned. “No one who knows you would think you harmless, but you should be able to fool the Hawthornes while you’re here.”
A footman entered with a large tea tray. As he was setting up the teapot, tiny sandwiches, and cakes, Lord Roger arrived. “Tory, I’m so glad you’re here.”
He seemed to mean it, too. Lord Roger Hawthorne was the youngest son of a marquess, a Member of Parliament, and as intelligent as he was amiable. Though not as strikingly handsome as Allarde, he was attractive and good-natured.
Sarah had had several seasons in London without finding a man she wanted to marry, though she hadn’t lacked for offers. Then she met Lord Roger. The two of them started talking and hadn’t stopped since. Sarah would make a wonderful political hostess. Tory was sure that Roger would end up in the cabinet, maybe even be Prime Minister someday.
But now he was about to become her brother-in-law, and his smile was wide and welcoming. Tory rose and clasped his hand. “Thank you for letting me come, Lord Roger. It would have been safer for your career if you hadn’t.”
As he kissed Sarah’s cheek and accepted a steaming cup of tea from her, he said, “Sarah wanted you at the wedding, and what Sarah wants, Sarah gets.”
They exchanged besotted smiles before sitting and giving the cakes and small sandwiches the attention they deserved. Tory was ravenous and tackled the food with gusto. Her appetite had been robust since leaving Lackland.
As she ate a third miniature sandwich, she realized her hunger was because she was using her power more now that she was away from the school. Magic was a constant extra sense observing the world, like hearing and smelling. As she polished off the last of the triangular sandwiches, she said rather guiltily,
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