Page 33 of Heir of Uncertain Magic

Hulda fidgeted in her seat. “Perhaps.”

She clapped her hand loud enough to startle. “Delightful. Narragansett Bay—so Rhode Island? And how do you know him?”

Ignoring her sister’s delight, Hulda focused on facts. “His house was—is—enchanted, so I met him through BIKER.”

“I see. And is he aware you’ve a fondness for him?”

Hulda’s cheeks warmed. “He is well aware. I ... That is ...” She took her hands from her cup for fear she’d spill tea, and instead weaved her fingers together in her lap. “That is, it is a mutual affection, enough so that I thought it best to move out lest rumors begin—”

Danielle shrieked, and Hulda nearly lost her seat.

“What?”Her sister, who’d always been prone to dramatics, slid from her chair and knelt in her heavy skirts, grabbing Hulda’s knees. “You mean you’ve a real beau? Hulda,this is astounding!”

Hulda pinched her lips together, forbidding a smile, and cleared her throat. “Yes, well, it is an exciting venture. I’m very new to all this, and I’m trying to mete out affections appropriate to the timetable ...”

Danielle was staring at her blankly.

“What?” Hulda asked.

“You’re not like this with him, are you?” She rose and planted herself back in her chair.

Hulda blinked. “What do you mean?”

Her sister rolled her eyes. “Reserved and stiff, you ninny.”

Hulda straightened. “I am not, thank you.”

“But,” Danielle pressed, “did you come all this way to see me absolutely melt at this fabulous news, or is there something else?”

Averting her eyes to her sleeves, Hulda picked at their simple trim. “Well, I’ve made something of a fool of myself, andno”—she could feel her sister’s eager-rabbit-eyed stare without even looking up—“I will not tell you the details, because it is personal to him. Suffice to say, I recently misspoke about something of sensitive nature and am unsure how to proceed.”

“Have you magicked any of it?”

Hulda frowned. Danielle hadn’t inherited any of the family’s weak augury and, even after so many years, did not quite understand how it worked. “Nothing solid, no.”

Danielle let out a long breath. “Have you tried askinghimhow to proceed?”

Hulda’s fingers wove tighter together. “He is away at the moment.”

When Danielle didn’t respond immediately, Hulda glanced up to find her sister studying her hard enough to form two lines between her brows. Hulda sipped her tea, waiting for the scrutiny to end.

After a minute, Danielle said, “You have this thing you do, especially when things change or become uncomfortable.”

Hulda shook her head. “I handle change quite well. You know I move frequently, visit numerous households—”

“Don’t interrupt.” She pointed a manicured finger at Hulda’s nose. “It’s a little hard to describe. It’s this sort of stoicism you adopted in your early twenties. When it gets severe, you’re more of a statue than a person.”

Hulda wilted.

“Not in a bad way ... not entirely,” she amended. “But ... well, you’ve always had an old soul, but the older you get, the more, I don’t know,afraidyou become of being human. Your emotions are in a cage stiffer than that corset.” She poked Hulda’s middle. “If they were horticulture, they would die from lack of sunlight.”

Hulda frowned. “I believe I’m following your metaphor.” She forced herself to relax. Sipped her tea, held the cup in her lap. “I understand what you mean. Admittedly, I’m not sure how to change it.”

Danielle looked her in the eye. “Do you love him?”

Every muscle from shoulder to knee tightened. “It’s a little early to be calculating—”

Danielle swatted Hulda’s shoulder. “Stop it.Do you love him?”

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