Page 15 of Enchanted Net
“Ah.” Landry nodded once. “Here, let me look at your inscription, and see if I might suggest applications of the idea.” That took up a fair bit of time, passing the commentary back and forth. Vitus found himself talking more freely, as they went, about the challenges of establishing himself. Landry was not forward with his advice, but he was not shy about offering it when relevant to a particular topic, including how he selected the rooms they were in.
Vitus had been right that the presentation was deliberate. Landry had wanted an ordinary street, a room that suggested a serious scholar and magician, without being intimidating. His mother, on the other hand, had an imposing townhome in a well-off neighbourhood of Trellech, a bit to the north. Most people never saw beyond the most formal parlour. Certainly not the library, which Vitus took to be one heart of the home.
“And your brother, when he returns?” Vitus started gathering his papers together. He knew they were almost out of time.
“Ah, should he wish to set up in consulting, then we might take a house together. We will have to see. He is more inclined to formal ritual, and the spaces that requires are more difficult to arrange.” Just then, the clock chimed from the tower outside. “I would be glad to speak again, when time allows. I might have a commission for you in a month or two. It depends on how something plays out.”
“I would be glad to discuss at your convenience. You have been generous with your knowledge and your time. I won’t keep you further.” Vitus made his goodbyes warm - he really was grateful - but brief. A minute or so later, he found himself walking down the steps, out to the street. Thoughts - and new ideas for how to go about his work - were swirling around in his head. He rushed off to Niobe’s to write them down fully before they tumbled out.
Chapter11
MAY 17TH IN THE MAIN TRELLECH LIBRARY
Thessaly was utterly immersed in what she was doing. That was turning out to be a problem. She was up on the top of one of the small rolling sets of steps in Trellech’s main library, in one bay far to the back of the main reading room. She had a couple of books already waiting on the table in the middle of the bay, along with her gloves. She was trying to hunt down at least two more.
Magistra North had recommended additional reading before Monday, but she hadn’t had a complete reference for the chapter she remembered. It was in one of the books by Hezekiah Applebloom. There was an entire row of them, and many of the chapter titles were not as illuminating as to the contents as they ought to be.
That was the problem with illusionists all over. They - Thessaly included - enjoyed playing with appearances.
Now she reached for the next volume, then overreached. If she’d been in duelling gear, it wouldn’t have been a problem. Today, she was in entirely proper skirts and bustle and shoes without nearly as much grip as might be sensible. She wobbled. Then there was a hand under her elbow, another at her back, steadying her. It felt comfortable and secure from the first touch.
“Pardon, Mistress.” The voice below her and to her left was oddly familiar, but not one she knew immediately. Someone she’d gone to school with, maybe. Thessaly used that bit of stability to reach for the book she’d actually wanted, then cleared her throat.
“Thank you. May I come down now?” The hand at her back moved away, until she couldn’t feel the pressure, though the one under her elbow didn’t do the same. She retreated backwards down the steps, making sure her feet were solidly under her before she looked to see who had helped her. Then she blinked several times. “Oh! Master Deschamps. A pleasure to see you again.” She did her best to make it sound warm. Thessaly hadn’t expected him, not here, but she was in fact pleased to see him, if also a trifle confused.
He flushed, just slightly, then tipped his hat to her. “Mistress Lytton-Powell. I am glad to lend my assistance. Or to do so again, if there is another book you would like fetched. I hope you are well?”
“I am. Though I was waiting for you to call. It has been four weeks, after all. I had several thoughts about your question about the lapis lazuli, and I have done some preliminary experiments. Though of course, it depends a bit on the foundational materials you had in mind - cloth versus stone, and so on. And naturally, the duration you were hoping for.”
Master Deschamps ducked his chin. “Mistress.” He then closed his mouth, as if unsure how to go on. “I am perhaps wary of your position. Considering a number of factors.”
Thessaly took a step back to better consider him. And to better arrange her skirts, so everything fell into place. Her gloves were off. It was difficult to thumb through pages with them on, and she couldn’t fix that now. Besides, they were in a library, and libraries had their own rules of etiquette within Albion. He also took a step back, bowing slightly, as if that would ease whatever uncertainty he felt.
“My betrothal.” Thessaly tilted her head, naming what she was sure was the problem. “I can assure you, Childeric is nowhere near. A library is not particularly his natural habitat. He is off having a pleasant ride with some of his friends, I believe. And his parents are at Arundel. I have no chaperone and do not need one - we are in a library, of course, a respectable location. I am betrothed, not immured in a tall tower with no access to the outer world.”
“But you are, Mistress, betrothed to the son of a powerful family, who are known to...” His voice trailed off. But really, there wasn’t an entirely polite way to finish that sentence.
“Who are known to hold grudges. This is not worth a grudge. And I am the daughter of two other powerful families. But again, not immured in a tower. Father wouldn’t dare. Besides, Aunt Metaia would have argued him out of it long since.” That was true, too. Father was firm about how things were done, a proper Victorian father, but he deferred to Aunt Metaia - and to Mama, honestly - on matters of magic and manners. Especially when they overlapped, as in this case.
“You and I know that we have had conversation - twice now, and the first was most pleasant. But there is the reality and the seeming, and we both know that some people confuse the one for the other.” He gestured for a moment at the books. “That is, in fact, your art.”
Thessaly slowly inclined her head. “That is accurate enough. Are you worried? I would not keep you if you are truly concerned, though I am grateful for your helpful hand. Also, I am enjoying the conversation.” The last month had brought home to her how much she’d enjoyed their first conversation. She’d felt free to express herself there, not contained and limited. He’d listened in a way she found enticing. It certainly wasn’t how she felt around Childeric or Sigbert or their family.
He seemed to think she was assuming it’d be an indiscretion. Or, more reasonably, that the Fortiers might see it as one. It made sense, and yet it didn’t, and that was puzzling and confusing her.
She had wondered - especially after that conversation with Aunt Metaia a fortnight ago - about the different ways her life might have gone. Or might go. It wasn’t as if she didn’t have options and choices and possibilities. Thessaly knew she would do her duty by Childeric, by the agreements. But while he could be exceedingly charming and flattering, nothing about how he did that made her heart beat a little faster. None of it provoked even as much reaction in her body as a good duel, the combination of challenge and physicality and how one matched with the other person.
It made this conversation more complicated, feeling something she hadn’t felt before. This wasn’t an assignation, of course it wasn’t. But even if it were - which it wasn’t - she had options. She knew her agreements with Childeric thoroughly and precisely. And now, they came rushing back.
Father and Aunt Metaia and three specialists in ritual language and oaths had gone over it on her side of things. She could spend her time where she chose, even bed who she chose, so long as there were due precautions against pregnancy outside her marriage. It would be better to avoid the more delicately risky forms of bedding until she’d had at least one child. But there were options there. Aunt Metaia had talked through some of them and made it clear she’d share more details or suggest specialists if Thessaly had any interest.
The other way round, well, that was a different question. Thessaly was fairly sure Childeric was bedding someone, though she had not exerted herself to find out who or how long it had been going on. Not yet. All the signs she had seen suggested nothing that put her at risk. More to the point, both Mama and Aunt Metaia had agreed with that analysis. They both had much more experience spotting that sort of thing in the wild, a Mistress who thought to displace the legitimate wife, or wife-to-be. Not that she’d say that here and now.
Thessaly expected Childeric would be much the same in bed as he was in the other areas of his life. Skilled and deft enough, because he’d consider a lack of skill to be a failure. But he’d be far more about what he got out of the experience than what she did. And if she wanted in-depth conversation or magical debate, she would have to find it for herself, and elsewhere. Possibly with his mother or aunt, but that was more delicate than finding it among people her own age.
She could - and planned to - use her social influence to cultivate that sort of discussion. It would not only keep her from utter boredom - a key consideration - but it would also let her support and encourage people who could use it. Aunt Metaia did that. Mama did it, though in a more limited way, seeing as there was less money on Father’s side of things, and thus less independence.
But she couldn’t deny, now she’d thought a bit more, that she liked it when this man, Vitus, the one in front of her, touched her. She liked how his magic felt, though she didn’t have the language to describe it. There was an openness, a sureness, a comfort with himself that was appealing, even before she considered anything else. And she couldn’t deny that maybe she was responding to that.
