Page 11 of Magic Touch
Holding Simon, William leaps to his feet. "I suppose I should have let you tell me his name. I didn't mean..."
"Don't be uneasy. He appeared at the back door this morning, with no master in sight, and immediately made himself at home. Besides, I enjoyed the naming process more than I should probably admit." My cheeks heat for the second time that morning. I have lost all control of my emotions and it won't do.
He scratches Simon's chin. "He does seem to like the name. Will you keep him?"
I nod. "Animals like Simon are good luck when they find you. I think he's meant to be here. He won't stay if the fit isn't right. At least that's what my mother always said. She had a hawk who stayed with her. She could see through his eyes as he flew over Windsor. After she died, Theo stayed a week with me before flying off. I mourned his loss with my mother's."
Why had I told him all of that? Surely, he doesn't need to know or care about old Theo and my mother. He likely doesn't believe Mother could see through Theo's eyes.
"It was good of him to stay the week with you. I should think he must have cared deeply to have done so, but then it was time to move on." William's eyes fill with sorrow, which he shakes away a moment later.
"Thank you." I search for more to say, but I'm at a loss for words. What he said is in the teaching of Goddess. I doubt he's ever learned such lessons.
He hands Simon to me and brushes the patch of hair from his coat. "As I am no longer glowing like some heavenly star, I thought I might go home and change. Perhaps I can meet you back here in an hour, or would you come with me?"
It shouldn't be such a terrible thing for him to leave and return, but my heart knots at the idea of his departure. Perhaps he will never come back. He might be seduced by darkness with magic not meant for humans coursing through him. It would be my fault if such a fate befell him. "Wouldn't your staff be surprised by me accompanying you?"
Head cocked in thought, much as Simon's had been, William says, "They have been with me since before the war. I think they will adapt to a new friend."
"They will think we are lovers. They will take me for your mistress of the moment." As much as I long to be close to him, I don't want to be the kind of woman who men discard like old clothes.
Touching my chin until I look into his eyes, William presses a chaste kiss to my lips, flooding me with magic and desire. His eyes wide, he says, "I have never had a mistress. And though I have had lovers, never have I brought them to my home. My staff will think you are a friend, and that is what you are, Esme."
"This power between us, William, I'll not lie, I find it as terrifying as I do alluring."
He releases my chin. "As do I. Let me get properly dressed, and we shall see if this coven has any thoughts."
William was right. His staff treats me as if I'm one of the master's greatest friends. They seem unsurprised by my presence, and while I wait, they bring me tea in the parlor. The house is small but very fine, with a curved staircase in the foyer and marble on the floor. The parlor is decorated in forest green, and a cream damask wallpaper that hints at pink.
I sip my tea and sit on an overstuffed chair that costs more than I will make in a year. I pray I don't do or say anything to make a fool of myself. I should be more worried about our upcoming coven visit, but the notion of spilling tea on the crushed velvet nearly has me in a panic.
It's past eleven by the time we take William's carriage to the coven house in the north end of town. It's a respectable house, and from the outside, unremarkable. The lower floor has a meeting room with wooden chairs placed against the walls, should someone need to sit during gatherings. Between the chairs are buckets filled with dirt or water in case of a spell gone wrong. No sofas or tables clutter the room of meeting and conjuring. Through the door on the right is a stillroom with herbs and flowers drying on cords. The coven leader, Sara Beth Ware, lives on the floors above stairs, and if my memory serves, another witch, Minerva, has a room.
I knock, and Minerva opens the door. She is blonde but hides her mass of curls in a matronly cap. I have always liked Minerva, and she is one of the only witches who visits my shop regularly.
Another witch peeks over Minerva's shoulder. Sara Beth keeps her voice soft, but even so, doubt and wariness permeate her question. "Esme O'Dwyer, what an unexpected surprise. Have you finally come to join your sisters in the coven?"
"No, Sara Beth. As my mother before me, coven life is not for me." I try to keep my mother's disdain from my voice. That was her quarrel, not mine. I only need to honor her wishes, not share her anger.
Minerva stands to Sara Beth's right, her expression sympathetic and calm. Three more witches watch from the far corner. Another witch, wearing an apron, observes from the stillroom. I stay so far away from coven business that I don't know the other four witches. Sara Beth visited once, trying to bring me home, as she called it. Minerva often stops into my shop for a chat, or to exchange thoughts on herbs and spells for healing.
Sara Beth says, "My mother and yours have both gone to Goddess, Esme. Can we not begin again and hope they have resolved their differences in the life after?" She clenches her fists, but her voice remains even.
I feign a long thought. "I was very saddened to hear of your mother's accident. I prayed for your healing as you mourned. However, my mother left this coven because yours would not accept my father into the fold. Have rules regarding male witches changed since your mother moved on?"
Tightness pulls at Sara Beth's lips. "Men turn to the dark far more often than women."
"Have you proof of this? We know that women also turn. It might be an old wives' tale, or perhaps your mother disliked men so much she didn't want to be bothered with them. I have often joined in that assertion. In any case, my mother bade me not be bullied by you, or any other witch, and I will honor her wishes." I draw a long breath and keep it steady despite the shaking I feel within.
All the while, William stands in the shadows near the door, and watches with seemingly little interest, but I can feel his gaze on me. It's ridiculous, but having him here makes me feel safe, despite the reaction I expect once our problem is revealed.
"Male witches have long been a problem. However, when I see a need to revoke any of my mother's rulings, I shall call a quorum and ask for a vote. This particular mandate goes back much further than my mother. There have not been men in the Windsor coven in over two hundred years," Sara Beth explains.
"I am well aware." I hold my breath, hoping for bravery. "This is not why I have come to you. I am in need of help. While I had good intentions, I have done this man harm."
Minerva gasps and her gaze shoots to William.
Taking a step closer, Sara Beth studies him. "In what way? He looks healthy enough."
