Page 29 of Magic Touch
"How is that possible?" I should pull away, but I long for his hands on me, even in this simple way.
A crack of thunder startles Simon, who jumps onto the loveseat and hides behind a pillow with only his bottom sticking out.
Giving the kitten a brief smile, William leans down and kisses the tip of my nose. "I would never wish you out of my life. Meeting you has changed everything I believed. It has explained parts of my world, and my father, that I never understood. I am not a man to hide myself from the truth, no matter how strange it seems. If that were the case, I would never have come looking for your shop in the first place."
I press my cheek to his chest, and his arms wrap around me. "It would be simpler for you to live in ignorance. It would be wiser for me to ignore these feelings that continue to grow inside me."
His lips press to the top of my head. I've never felt more at home, and it has nothing to do with the cottage.
He sighs. "Maybe I conjured you. You said desire is powerful magic."
Chuckling, I breathe him in. "Why must you smell so damned good?"
Pulling back, he scoffs. "I hardly think that can be after a carriage ride and dousing from the pond. Perhaps the spell didn't work, and you are bewitched."
I know he's joking, yet my yearning for him is so strong, I can almost believe it true. Turning to the books he's brought, I ask, "What have you there?"
"Come and sit." He rounds the loveseat, then waits for me to sit before he settles beside me.
Simon scrambles into my lap and startles with every crack of thunder.
William lifts the first book from the stack. It's old with a worn leather cover. "This is a journal of one of my relatives, Sarina Meriwether. She speaks of the death of a friend during the witch hunts. I didn't read too far into any of these. I thought it best to show them to you and Madam Bishop first."
As if conjured by her name, Prudence shuffles into the parlor with Henry by her side. William's valet seems to have taken it upon himself to protect the great mother.
Prudence pats Henry’s arm and releases him. "Have I missed anything?"
With a bow, Henry leaves.
"No," I say. "We had a dowsing when William attempted some water magic. Now, he's showing me some books he brought with him." I don't want to tell her we attempted a curse divining spell. It would give away too much.
Rounding the chaise, Prudence slowly makes her way to the chair adjacent to us. Her dark-blue day dress fits in perfectly with the subdued tones of the parlor. "Where did you find these books?"
"I remembered my father scolding me once as a boy for looking at an old book. At the time, I didn’t understand his rage. I also didn’t understand the book's content. He moved the books, and I never gave it any more thought until a few days ago. They were on a high shelf tucked at the end." William hands the journal to Prudence.
Once she opens the book, her eyes fill with sorrow. "This is a long time ago. So many good witches lost. Many of the dark betrayed them. You should read this, Sir William. You will learn your family's history."
She hands the book back to him, and he nods. His eyes fill with trepidation, but also agreement. "I will read it. I wonder if my father read it, or if he only hid it as his father did before him."
Wanting to give him comfort, I say, "He may not have acknowledged what he was, but he never burned this book. He kept it, albeit hidden, he kept it for others to find. Don’t blame the man for making sure his family was safe. It was his duty, after all."
"Well said," Prudence agrees and smiles proudly.
William frowns, then picks up the second book. "This is a book authored by the same witch, and a man I assume was her husband. Samuel and Sarena Meriwether created this medicinal account."
Prudence opens the book and runs a weathered hand down the pages. After a moment, she says, "It's their grimoire. This is a wonderful find. Most spell books were lost or destroyed during this time. It was often done to hide evidence as so many were dragged away and hanged or burned. We will examine this and see if you can practice with some of the simpler spells."
I take the book from Prudence and read the first page of a spell for headaches. Besides the incantation, it also gives a solid recipe for a tonic, and a poultice to be pressed to the temples. "The tonic here is very similar to the one I use. I've not heard of the damp cloth and herbs for head pain."
"An older way, to be sure, but effective just the same." Prudence points to the third book. The leather cover is dry and torn. "This is something else?"
William hands it to her. "I could not read this, Great Mother. It is in a language that is like Latin, but the words made no sense to me. I thought it best to bring it to you rather than dabble in that which I don't yet understand."
"A wise notion, child." Prudence shivers as she reads. "This is of the old tongue. Latin and Gallic." She closes the book, worry in her eyes. Taking a knitted blanket from the back of the couch, she pulls it around her shoulders.
"What is it?" I ask.
"This book is not of the light. I fear some part of your family was working with black magics, William."
