Against the Magic

by Donna K. Weaver

  “We have to accept that fruit is really only in season when it’s in its season,” Jem said.

  “I never realized how spoiled we were.” After dishing up some eggs and taking a small scone, she took a seat at the table.

  Jem dug into his food, and they ate in silence for a few minutes.

  “How far should we ride today?” he finally asked.

  “Won’t that depend on how long the groom can be spared? They won’t let us ride alone.” Reese rolled her eyes.

  Jem hadn’t considered that. He’d hoped to have this time alone with her. What kind of entourage would they have? In an attempt to hide his disappointment, he said, “Considering the size of this estate, that might be better. I don’t want to get lost.”

  Reese pushed back her plate and wiped her mouth.

  “Are you ready?” he asked. “This won’t be quite like the rides we used to take back home.”

  “Yeah. We didn’t have to wear top hats,” she said. “I have a ribbon to keep mine on, but how about you?”

  “Nellie’s staff fitted it to me,” he said. “And I must say your own hat is quite fetching.”

  “Nice.” Reese gave an appreciative chuckle. “You sounded just like Richard Armitage.”

  Jem accepted the compliment with a nod and pointed at the door. She rose, draped the train over her left arm this time, and preceded him from the room.

  “You do that like a pro,” he said.

  “Self-preservation,” Reese said, “but I’ve told Nellie I must have split skirts. She’s got her people working on it.”

  “Should we see if her people can cut off the train?” he asked. “That would make the skirt more manageable.”

  “No, I’m going to ride astride. I think there’s enough fabric in the train to cover my offending ankles.” She made a face. “Like they won’t be covered by my boots anyway. Can you imagine how these people would freak out if they went to one of our beaches?”

  Jem laughed.

  Chapter 6

  “I HAVEN’T BEEN RIDING ALL winter,” Reese said as they stepped outside of the house.

  “It’s been more than a year for me.” Jem offered her his arm. “I had the stables notified to set up a mounting block for you. I figured it might be easier the first time in those skirts.”

  “Thank you.” Reese took his elbow, grateful for his thoughtfulness. She had spent so much time worrying about riding sidesaddle or battling Nellie’s people over the right to ride astride that she hadn’t even considered how to get on the horse in the first place.

  “Either the groom or I could give you a leg up, I guess.” Jem shot her a sidelong glance, the corner of his mouth quirking up.

  “No thanks.” She laughed. “The last time you did that I was thirteen, and you hefted me clear over the horse.”

  “I know you thought I did it on purpose, but I was so embarrassed.” Jem chuckled. “Kaitlyn still ribs me about it sometimes.”

  “I had a bruise on my bum for two weeks and couldn’t wear my swimsuit.” Reese shook her head. “I was so mad at you for the rest of that summer.”

  “Like I could forget that. I thought you’d never forgive me.”

  “Well, you finally got off my yucky list.” His bicep under her hand stiffened a little.

  “Did I?” he asked softly, a wistful note to his voice.

  The air around them seemed to resonate with energy that set Reese’s heart pounding. Her whole body tingled with it. Was it their chemistry, or had they walked through some kind of faerie thingy? She glanced over her shoulder but didn’t see anything.

  “What is it?” Jem stopped, and they turned around.

  “Just now, I . . .” She let the words die on her lips. What if he hadn’t felt it? Was magic like that, only touching one person even when they were right next to each other?

  “Reese, what is it?” He seemed genuinely concerned.

  “I don’t know.” She pulled him toward the stables again. “I think one of Nellie’s faeries may be messing with me.”

  “You’re really not going to tell me?”

  “I don’t know what it was.” Reese felt stupid now for even mentioning it. “Let it alone.”

  Jem shrugged but didn’t argue.

  She was glad he let it go. All the years they’d spent growing up together, he’d been the big brother she hadn’t had. Her mother had worked long hours to support the two of them. Reese’s life would have been a lonely one if Kaitlyn and her family hadn’t been so welcoming. It wasn’t until Jem’s last year of college that Reese had begun to feel awkward around him when she realized that what she felt for him was anything but brotherly.

  “What do you think?” he asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

  Her face went warm. For a second, she wondered if her thoughts had given her away. Then she noticed the saddled horses up ahead, their grooms beside them, waiting. The painted blue wooden steps by the beautiful palomino had to be for her.

  “She’s gor-geous,” Reese gushed. “Did you choose her for me?”

  “Did I remember that you always favored my father’s palominos?” Jem gave a self-satisfied smirk that twisted her heart. “Of course.”

  “What’s her name?” Reese asked.

  “Honey,” the groom said.

  “Appropriate. Your gray’s a beauty too,” she said. “He makes me think of some of the Regency books I’ve read where characters weren’t happy unless they had four grays. Funny I never thought about those books in regards to your dad’s horses.” She stopped short, staring at the sidesaddle. “You’re trying to kill me too. I said I was going to ride astride.”

  “No, I’m not. To be honest, I didn’t think about it when I sent word that we’d be riding this morning,” he said. “Let me see if I can get them to change the saddle for you.”

  “Wait just a sec.” Reese took a deep breath. Some modern women still took on the challenge of riding sidesaddle. “Maybe I’ll give it a try.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah.” She fingered the extra fabric in the train of her gown hanging over her arm. “The mounting block might be interesting to maneuver.”

  Jem chuckled. “Say the word and I’ll give you a hand up.”

  “No, no, no.” Reese dropped the skirt and stepped back. “You’re a lot stronger now than you were at fifteen.”

  “I’m glad you noticed. Let’s try the mounting block then.” He held out his hand.

  “Riding a horse shouldn’t be so complicated.” She took his hand and let him guide her up the narrow steps. “You guys turn around,” Reese said to the grooms when she reached the top step. She pinned Jem with a hard stare. “Don’t let me look like an idiot, please.”

  “Why? What are you planning to do?” He arched a brow and tilted his head suspiciously.

  “Something creative—if the horse won’t move.” She turned her back to the saddle and bent to sit on it. The horse shied away, leaving empty air behind her.

  She knew she was going to fall. A surge of adrenaline flooded her, and her senses shifted into slow motion.

  “Hold the mare in place!” Jem lunged forward and grabbed a wad of her skirt. He pulled her toward him.

  One moment Reese was falling back and then she was moving forward again. Her feet tangled in her skirts, and she flew toward him.

  “Jem!” she squealed, throwing out her arms to brace herself for a hard hit.

  But she didn’t hit him. That funny tingly feeling she had come to associate with faerie magic washed over her, and she really was falling in slo-mo. Jem caught her with ease and pulled her into his arms. They clutched each other, stunned, their hearts beating a rapid staccato where their chests met.

  “Oh, Miss Clarisse,” a woman cried from behind them.

  They broke apart and turned to find Lady Ellen at a distance, hurrying toward them, her maid and groom a few paces behind.

  “What just happened?” Jem whispered.

  “I don’t—” Reese glanced over at the h
ead groom, an older man who wouldn’t meet her gaze. “I think it was another faerie thing.”

  “Are you injured?” Ellen asked, breathless from her near-run. She scanned Reese’s body as though looking for blood.

  “No, I’m . . . Jem, uh, Mr. Taylor saved me.” She shot the groom a quick glance and mouthed thank you. The corners of his mouth quirked up, and he put a finger to his cap.

  “Oh, Mr. Taylor,” Ellen clutched her hands to her chest, “your rescue was magnificent.”

  “Why, thank you, my lady.” He bowed. “How are you? I thought you were returning home this morning.”

  “The weather is lovely,” she said. “I couldn’t bear to be cooped inside the carriage. I thought to ride home instead.”

  She looked amazing in a dark turquoise blue habit. Her matching hat had a big white feather coming off it. On a different woman, the outfit might have looked ridiculous, but Ellen had a way of holding herself that . . . Reese searched her mind for the right word and could only come up with classy. The idea of this girl being the hostess at a political party where she graciously talked with power brokers seemed to fit for the first time.

  “I didn’t realize you lived so close,” Reese said.

  “Yes,” Ellen said, “my brother’s lands border Aunt Nellie’s, and there is good road between. I often ride over to visit when the weather permits.”

  “Would you like us to accompany you part of the way?” Jem asked.

  “I would enjoy that.” The girl’s cheeks had gone pink, her face lighting up with pleasure. “We will become better acquainted.”

  “Maybe you can show my cousin how to mount in a dress,” he said.

  “Hey, I know how to mount just fine,” Reese said, indignant.

  “Not in a habit, you don’t. Please don’t try it like that again. You scared ten years off my life.” Jem’s sincere expression took the sting out of the insult.

  “It is not difficult once one knows the way of it.” Ellen turned to the head groom who Reese thought had been the one to work the magic. “Walter, is my horse prepared?”

  “Billy is bringing her now, my lady.” A boy of about twelve years led a lovely bay-colored mare toward them.

  “What a beauty,” Jem said.

  “She is quite docile.” Ellen gave a fond smile. “My brother is very protective of me.”

  Reese blinked, not sure what to think of this brother. He let Sir Slimy hang around, but then refused to let the guy pay his addresses until Ellen was of age. Interesting way to be protective.

  “Are you okay with that?” Reese asked.

  “I do not understand,” Ellen said.

  “People who are protective tend to be bossy and controlling,” Reese said.

  “And that wouldn’t resemble anyone here, would it?” Jem winked at her.

  Reese glared at him but looked at Ellen with arched brows.

  “You judge my brother too harshly. I own he can be both bossy and controlling, but he has responsibility for me and feels it keenly.” She pointed her gloved hand at the horses. “I will demonstrate how to mount a sidesaddle.”

  Ellen approached her bay, where Walter waited for her. He bent, his hands cupped. She put a dainty foot in them, somehow managing not to flash, and he lifted her. With a smooth motion, she seated herself on the saddle while swinging her right leg over the top pommel and nestling her left leg against the bottom one. She had smoothed out her skirt to cover her boots almost before Reese had seen anything.

  “If there were an Olympic medal for that,” Reese said softly to Jem, “she’d have just taken the gold.”

  “Think you can do it?” he asked.

  Reese heaved out a breath. “If you promise not to toss me over the horse.”

  “I promise.” He grinned.

  “Okay, Lady Ellen,” Reese said, approaching her palomino Honey again, “watch me embarrass myself.”

  She grabbed her skirt and raised it to step into Jem’s cupped hands. Tall as she was, he lifted her easily into the saddle. With her bum now firmly in place, she tried to move her right leg. She’d managed to get the skirt stuck underneath her, but after some awkward shifting around, she freed enough of the fabric to get her leg over the top pommel. Ellen moved her horse close beside the palomino.

  “Press your left limb against the leaping head,” she whispered, glancing at the men. At Reese’s confused expression, Ellen added, “The lower pommel. Using both, I am able to hunt with my brother, who is an excellent whip.”

  Reese did as instructed and could feel the pull in her muscles. “Well, you sure don’t need a thigh master if you ride sidesaddle.”

  Ellen frowned, confused. Then, as if what Reese had said finally sunk in, Ellen’s eyes widened, and her cheeks went the brightest red yet.

  “Sorry.” Reese gave herself a mental kick. “I forget how sensitive you people are about using the real names for body parts.”

  “Do you feel steady up there?” Jem asked.

  Reese walked the horse around the little stable area. She couldn’t help grinning. “I feel steadier than I would have expected to. Let’s go.”

  Jem mounted his gray. He nodded toward Lady Ellen. “We don’t know which way to go.”

  She set her bay in motion, and Jem followed her. Reese held back a little, watching as the young woman talked animatedly to him. The girl definitely had a thing for him.

  Reese went over logical reasons why it should bother her. For one, she really liked Ellen and didn’t want her to get hurt. Jem didn’t really have a fortune, and he wouldn’t qualify as an appropriate suitor. They wouldn’t be in 1850 all that long, so it wasn’t like Jem could be Ellen’s happily ever after. Reese pushed away the sadness that Jem couldn’t be her happily ever after either.

  “This is where I must leave you,” Ellen finally said.

  Reese urged her horse faster until she came abreast of them. “Maybe we can go riding again.”

  “I would like that.” Ellen darted a glance at Jem but spoke to Reese. “I would love for you to visit me for a few days. My brother is not due back from London for a fortnight.”

  “That would be fun,” Reese said.

  “I will send you an invitation.” Ellen stared at her gloved hands. “Perhaps your cousin would like to come for a visit as well.” She looked up. “Once my brother returns. You might enjoy shooting with him.”

  “I’m not much into shooting,” Jem said, “but I would be happy to meet your brother and see your home.”

  “Very good, then.” Lady Ellen nodded to her servants, and the three of them rode away.

  “What do you think of her?” Reese asked when they were out of earshot.

  “She’s a cute kid,” Jem said. “Why?”

  “Did you see that first guy she danced with at the ball?”

  “I’m not likely to forget him.”

  “Well, I don’t like the looks of him,” Reese said. “I’ve dubbed him Sir Slimy.”

  “Reese.” Jem choked back a laugh but then tried to put on the big brother scolding voice he’d used when they were kids. “Don’t go calling him that in front of other people. You don’t want to cause problems for Nellie.”

  “I might have already done something that could cause problems,” she said with a grin, remembering how satisfying it had been.

  “What did you do?”

  “I cut him at the ball.”

  “Did you really?” Jem asked. “How?”

  “He had the nerve to introduce himself to me, all the time staring at my chest.” It still irritated her.

  “I don’t remember hearing that you had hit anybody.”

  “Only because he has good reflexes,” she said with a smirk.

  “What did you do?”

  Reese explained about the fan. “He’s such a perv.”

  “But that’s not a cut.”

  “I did that with the fan to get his attention.” She grinned again. “Then I told him we hadn’t been introduced and walked away.”

  �
��I’m glad you did it then,” Jem said. “He cut me earlier, and I just had to take it.”

  “Did he?” Reese asked, her voice low. “What did he do?”

  “Completely ignored me when Ellen introduced us, except for one of those looks. If I ever get to play a villain, I’ll know exactly the expression to use.”

  “Now I wish I had smacked him with the fan.”

  “It wouldn’t have been fair,” Jem said. “Men aren’t supposed to hit ladies.”

  “In public,” Reese said. “You ready to go back? My bum is getting tired.”

  They turned the horses around and headed back. She was feeling more confident in the sidesaddle. If her muscles hadn’t already been screaming, she’d have been tempted to see how she did at a gallop. Jem was always good for a race.

  When they got back to the house, she had a ravenous appetite. Since Kaitlyn and the others had gone out, Reese and Jem ate lunch together after they’d changed clothes.

  “Do you want to do something this afternoon?” He set his napkin on his empty plate.

  Reese yawned, feigning more fatigue than she felt. “I think I may do some reading.” Had that been disappointment that flashed across his face? If it was, it was gone. She’d probably imagined it.

  “It’s not a bad idea.” He held her chair for her and walked her to the top of the stairs, where he bowed to her.

  Playing along, she curtsied before heading toward her room. She stopped and looked back over her shoulder to watch him stride down the hallway. They had already spent more time together in the last couple of days than they had in the past two years. It was easier—and harder—to be around him. Sometimes it was like they were kids again.

  Now if she could just get her heart to not thump so hard whenever he entered a room.

  Chapter 7

  THAT DAY ESTABLISHED THE ROUTINE they followed over the next few days. Kaitlyn and Cyrus would go off on their own with Aunt Nellie’s other guest, Sir Jack Hughes, and sometimes other random people who seemed to drop in at Twickenham.

  Since Reese found some of Nellie’s lady guests insipid and the men chauvinistic, Reese found other things to do at Twickenham, rather than risk causing problems. It seemed off that Jem also chose to stay at home rather than go out with Kaitlyn and Cyrus. Like his sister, he’d always been social, seeking company in whatever he was doing. Reese was sure that had been the motivation behind the many times he’d invited her to come along for some of his childhood escapades.