Ariana shivered with excitement. She knew Uncle Kostya’s name had been found in the book, but she’d always assumed it was because he’d been married to her Aunt Camilla. She knew Camilla was powerful. Some of the scariest spells in the book had her name on them. It stood to reason her father would be as powerful as his twin sister had been, but if he was, he did a fantastic job of hiding it.
Both her parents did a fantastic job of hiding things, she thought with a sneer. But this second cousin of Owen’s being magical meant Kostya came from magical stock as well. And Sorin didn’t seem keen on hiding anything. He advocated for Owen to know the truth. She stared at the letter for a long time, hungry to speak to someone who would tell her everything she longed to know.
August 1826
Dear Owen,
I’m terribly sorry for the lateness of my reply, but Mum had me so busy on top of lessons. You can read this letter freely as anyone but you who sees it will think it’s an inventory of the gowns and bonnets I’ve ordered for the winter.
I’ve mastered all but one of the spells you sent. For the life of me, I can’t seem to get water to boil. It’s distressing as that seems to be one of the easier ones, but since it’s so simple to do without magic, it’s not as if I’ll ever need it. I had no trouble making Christian think he saw a scrap of cloth float across the room like a butterfly, though.
Owen gasped. What was she thinking letting her brother see her do a spell? Surely the little snitch would have told everyone who would listen about what he’d seen. At the same time he was envious she had someone to show off to.
Things were as busy for him as they were for Ariana, what with readying for the harvest. His father wanted him to learn every aspect of managing the farm, and much to his delight he got to miss quite a bit of school, though he felt bad when he heard his parents arguing about it. His mother, bless her, thought he had a much stronger aptitude for learning than he actually did, while his father was far more rational about it. Owen no longer cared about doing poorly in school since he excelled at his new passion. And to discover Ariana was having troubles with such an easy spell made him puff up even more with a confidence he was still getting used to.
In case you’re worrying about Christian blathering about it, I put a memory hex on him. I won’t do it too often since I worry it might permanently harm him. He isn’t the brightest candle as it is, you know. But I couldn’t help myself. The fabric butterflies were so pretty! I made them dance about my room for hours. I’m waiting with bated breath for new spells. It’s cruel of you to wait so long to send new ones. I’ve even tried sending you psychic messages but I guess you haven’t received them. It was my first attempt at making up my own spell. If you even got an inkling that I was trying to contact you be sure to let me know and we can work further to perfect it. It would be so useful not to have to wait on the post!
That would be useful indeed, but try as he might to recall getting any mental blasts of information from Ariana, he didn’t think he did. He thought about her often, but didn’t think he got any direct messages from her. He was impressed she thought to try to make her own hex, and he vowed to try it himself as well.
I haven’t much longer to write as I need to hurry off to dance lessons. I hate them, but I suppose I’ll be grateful one day. Or at least that’s what my mum is always telling me. Anyway, I did speak to Father about Aunt Camilla.
Yes! Owen held his breath, hoping she had better luck than he did trying to pry information out of his family members.
It was a bust. He told me some very sweet stories about when they were young, before your father came to live with them. But when I pressed about her illness and how she passed away, he went pale and almost started to cry. As you can imagine, that was horrid to see and I was greatly ashamed to be the cause of his distress. It’s odd how everyone in my family (blood family, not you lot) is so shrouded in mystery. My mum’s cousin Dexter who I’ve only met three times, and my maternal grandmother who I’ve only met once. They say it’s because the journey to America is long and difficult, but I’ve never got letters from them, not even once. And something I’ve only just thought of, which I’m sure you’ll find suspicious too, is when Mum and Father make the journey to visit them— the journey that’s far too dangerous and harrowing for me and the boys to make with them — they’re never gone more than a fortnight! It’s got to be them going to the future, don’t you think? But they can’t have used that spell we tried, can they? Try as I might, I cannot find out where the elusive portal in this house is, if it even exists at all. Have you come across any more mentions of it?
He had, in fact. As impatient as she was, he had been diligently copying down spells and information for her, but he always seemed to be out having to do something on the land, or going to the village with his mum on her many charity missions and gossipy visits. Ariana was going to be delighted with his findings and he hoped she had the nerve to try the spell he found in specific reference to her portal. He’d begun to think of it as hers, though from what he could make out, Belmary House had been cursed hundreds of years before, by a Scotswoman one of the early Alexanders had married and apparently not treated very well.
Sadly it seems I won’t see you again this year, unless your parents can be convinced to make the trip here for Christmas. Please do work on them, and if they feel they can’t leave for so long, perhaps you’ll be allowed to come down during your winter holiday from school. It would be wonderful to see you again and not just to study spells! I do miss all of you, and Scotland, and the animals. Our horses are snooty and only think of riding with their heads and tails just so. Yours are friendly and lovable.
My love to your parents and do hurry with a reply!
Always, Ariana
June 1828
Ariana! You must be more careful! That last spell you sent me is utter madness. And you say you’ve tried it all on your own? I don’t know what you were thinking but if you get hurt, I’ll be fairly displeased with you. Not to mention your parents will find out and we’ll be finished.
Ariana stopped reading and sighed gustily. He was such a worrywart. She grimaced, thinking that she had led him to believe she tested her latest handcrafted spell. Of course she’d never attempt stepping off the roof of the house, expecting her daft levitation spell to work. It was pure vanity, since he was so much better than she was, that led her to write it up in the first place. Years had passed since they found the book and she still couldn’t master some of the simplest hexes.
She knew it was because Owen had the book all the time, where she only got to lay her hands on it once or twice a year during visits. The book itself held unimaginable power. She’d have to come clean with him soon so he wouldn’t try the daft spell and break his neck.
I’ll stop berating you because I have big news of my own. Out of the blue, my cousin Sorin wrote to me. It was addressed to Mum and Da of course, everything was on the up and up, but he included a letter to me. I have a sneaking suspicion they read it before giving it over, but there was nothing worrisome in it. He only mentioned a few other cousins and a celebration they were having this fall. He invited all of us, but in his note to me he extended an open invitation to visit whenever I liked. Father laughed at the idea of us being able to go anywhere during harvest, but they didn’t fall to pieces when I asked if I could visit on my own one day. Mother said it was a long and expensive journey but perhaps one day … She trailed off just like that but didn’t collapse into tears or anything. They know the closer I get to adulthood they won’t be able to stop me from going. I think they’re using that reverse psychology you use on the twins, which is a tad insulting, but I’ll let them think it’s working and pretend I have no interest in going. But I’m certain there’s much to learn from that lot in Moldavia. I can wait an extra year if you want to go as well. Though, fat chance, right?
She sighed again. There was zero chance her parents would ever let her travel such a distance with Owen. Not even if they had an entourag
e of a hundred chaperones and guards. Not if they were hiding something about the place and the people there. It was awfully convenient that both Owen’s and her extended family members were so far away. It made it that much easier for their parents to keep deceiving them. She found she was crumpling up the letter and smoothed it out to read the last bit.
Don’t get too upset and do anything careless and impatient. We’re on the home stretch, even though the years ahead seem like eons to me as well. But soon we’ll be grown and can do what we want.
Much love to everyone,
Owen
Ariana forced herself to put the letter away neatly. She cherished each one, especially as they were few and far between these days. He was always diligent about sending her copied out spells, but his letters were short now that he was helping so much on the farm.
She’d have to specifically ask him if there was a patience spell he could send her because it was four long years to her coming out. Four eons until she would be considered grown.
She closed her eyes and let the sweet, giddy feeling of expectation wash over her. If it took everything she knew now combined with what she learned over those coming years, she’d find a way to dodge the marriage market and finally get everything she ever wanted.
Chapter 10
Spring 1832
Tilly sat across the room from her seventeen-year-old daughter, trying to suppress the unseemly amount of pride she felt. It always embarrassed her a little to think Ariana was so beautiful when they looked so much alike.
She never thought of herself as especially pretty, always surrounded by glossy pageant queens due to her mother’s dress designing business. She always believed she was plain and somewhat dull, no matter how often Ashford complimented her over the years. She figured that was just love blinding him, which she was fine with, of course.
But though they looked almost eerily similar, especially now that Ariana was the same height as her, her daughter’s features fit together better, her hair was shinier and her eyes were brighter. She was truly lovely.
Tilly sighed and pricked her finger, quickly moving the fabric out of the way to keep from bleeding on the fine white lawn. That’s what she got for her foolish pride, almost ruining the handkerchief she was stitching up for Ashford.
“Are you all right, Mother?” Ariana asked, pausing her furious writing.
She’d been scratching away for almost half an hour, her nose practically touching the paper. Tilly half expected to see a round black smudge on the tip when she glanced over.
“Just not paying attention,” Tilly said, causing Ariana to smile. She’d been reprimanded many times over the years to pay attention to her stitching or risk an injury, so Tilly didn’t begrudge her the slight smirk. “I wanted to have these handkerchiefs done when your father returned from Scotland. He always liked me to keep busy while he was gone. It started out as a joke but I actually love making the pretty borders and fancy initials.”
Ariana made a disgruntled moan at the mention of Ashford’s Scotland trip. She wanted desperately to go this time, and had been severely disappointed to have to stay and get ready for her coming out. Tilly never thought she’d be so excited for something so antiquated, and if it wasn’t for the danger she still feared to be lurking in the future, she never would have considered letting her daughter get engaged at such a young age. But the years spent soaking up the nineteenth century way of life had changed her. If Ariana did happen to fall in love and be safely married to a kind, good, non-murderous man, then so be it.
Ashford didn’t agree with her at all, going green at the thought of his baby daughter leaving him so soon. He was convinced there was no more danger and they’d foiled that other future. She knew he was probably right.
After all, Nick Kerr had stayed in Italy and Ariana had never been exposed to magic. Tilly felt a mild pang at that, desperately missing her family, unable to know if they were all right. She knew she shouldn’t but she missed time travel.
All other magic could stuff itself but being able to see her family and still live a wonderful life with Ashford had spoiled her. The last seven years had been terribly lonely and she worried all the time that her gran might have passed away and she’d never know it.
She shook her head to clear it of those thoughts and smiled at the top of Ariana’s head, her nose back in her writing. Of course it was all worth it to keep the children safe. And keep Ashford safe, since he no longer had to gad about the ages rescuing people. She could tell he missed it, though he’d never admit it. It had taken him several years to relax into his role as a simple peer of the realm, but his estates were thriving and Belmary House had turned into a real home. Of course it was worth it.
“What’s the matter, mum?” Ariana asked, shaking her out of her reverie. “You’ve been staring sadly at me.”
“Just wondering where the time has gone,” Tilly quickly covered. “I can’t believe you’re about to make your debut.”
Ariana grimaced. “Well, I certainly don’t have to,” she said sourly.
Tilly laughed. She walked right into that one. Ariana would have rather gone to live on the farm up north than become another cog in London society. She spent every chance they allowed up there, running free like a wild fawn, but it was time to grow up, as sad as it made both of them.
Tilly hoped all the attention she was sure to get during the upcoming torrent of balls would distract her from her unhappiness. As much as she hated pushing her daughter toward a life she wasn’t interested in, her safety was the most important thing.
Neither she nor Ashford would force her to marry if she wasn’t in love, but they were going to do everything they could to encourage her in that direction. If she was married, there was no way she could end up with Nick Kerr in 1889. No possible way.
“You’re going to have so much fun, you’re going to forget about all this moping around you’ve been doing. And you know you love all the new gowns.”
Ariana grinned, her cheeks glowing becomingly. “They are all so lovely. You know I’m grateful for them.”
Ah, she was a good girl, Tilly thought, going back to her sewing. She didn’t always feel sure about the choices she and Ashford had made over the years. There had been so many lies, after all. Or at least omissions of the truth. There’d been that terrible scare when Kostya’s cousin Sorin had visited and almost ruined everything.
Fortunately Owen never found anything out or he would have spilled the beans for sure. He and Ariana were as thick as thieves still, acting like they’d never been apart for more than a few days when they really only got to see each other a couple of times a year at most. She was grateful that her children had some semblance of a family, besides the group at Happenham who weren’t much to speak about.
If Ariana wasn’t engaged at the end of the season, she promised to make sure they all got up to Scotland. She almost said it out loud, but Ariana would have been horrified to know they were even considering her getting engaged. As far as she was concerned, she was getting some new dresses and would have several busy weeks and that was it.
“Goodness, what are you scribbling away at over there?” she said, realizing Ariana was still writing.
She looked blank for a second then said, “I’m translating some poems into French, for practice.”
“Oh. Well, good. Have at it.”
Tilly always wondered where those brains of Ariana’s came from. She herself had been average at everything except art class, and Ashford was no great academic either. He always said it was his twin Camilla who got all the brains between them. Tilly was glad it had come from somewhere. Lord knew the boys hadn’t got any of it, and as long as it didn’t lead her down the same path as Camilla, she was happy her daughter was so brilliant.
“We’re very proud of you, you know,” she couldn’t help adding.
Ariana made a face. “Yes, I know. Thank you, mum.”
Chapter 11
Dear Owen,
You must at all cos
ts find a way to visit and rescue me from the horrors of my coming out. I simply cannot abide the thought of the endless days of teas and countless nights of balls that await me. I know I’m not selling the idea very well, but you’ll make the sacrifice for me, won’t you?
Wait until you see the spells I’ve included. Every one of them has been crafted by me, and while they are really just variations of some we’ve already mastered, they’re different enough I think we can call them original. I’ve made them to look like French poetry of the most depressing order, so anyone who may glimpse them will surely look away as soon as they can.
I do feel rather depressed, though. I don’t want to become a lady! It’s all so ridiculous and stupid. You don’t know how lucky you are to not have to put up with it.
Owen paused in his reading, knowing full well how lucky he was. The last time he visited Ariana he was appalled at the strict regimen she was under. Riding, dancing, music, drawing, French, visits, working for her mum’s charity. It was a wonder she had any time at all to keep up with their secret studies. He knew she was still as keen as him to keep improving. The things they mastered so far were really quite incredible, and he didn’t think that was his inflated head speaking, either.
I’m riding with some girls this afternoon, and I wanted to get your opinion on one of them. I’m almost positive I see the glow about her. It’s very faint but I would swear on our book that she’s got some magic in her blood. It’s not as strong as yours or your father’s or even my father’s. It’s kind of like what I see on our mums. Faint, but definitely there.
I wanted to see if you thought it was wise to bring it up to her. She’s one of my favorite friends, very lovely and sweet, but I don’t want her to think me mad. And I don’t want to risk the secret we’ve managed to keep all this time just for the chance we might have found another of us. But wouldn’t it be so wonderful if it was true and she agreed to learn with us?
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