Page 45 of Claws and Contrivances
“And did you ask her to distract me, too?” There was a dangerous edge to Miss Thomas’s sweet-voiced question.
“No! I actually told her ...” Rose bit off her words before she could give too much away. Blushes and smiles might signal a mutual preference, but she couldn’t be certain, and she would never give away her unconventional cousin’s secrets without full permission beforehand. “I only begged her not to break my confidence about the dragons.”
“Hmm.” Miss Thomas’s eyelashes veiled her eyes.
Rose regarded her warily. “Georgie is one of the most loyal people I know, and she thinks extremely highly of you.”
“Mmm.”
“She—”
“Hadn’t we better focus on the dragons for now?” Miss Thomas asked drily. “For better or worse, I’m quite certain Georgie can defend herself.”
As far as Rose was concerned, none of her cousins should ever have to defend themselves when she was there to do it, but beside her, Mr Aubrey cleared his throat. “We have spent a good deal of time here already,” he agreed. “As I was saying earlier, should Sir Gareth or his manservant come upon us before we’ve formulated any real plans ...”
“I don’t suppose we could somehow carry at least a few of them out with us, with your help?” Rose asked their hostess. “If we could only work out some way to unlock their cages or break the locks ... oh, confound it.” She sighed, accepting the message of her fiancé’s dramatically rising eyebrows. “No, of course, that wouldn’t work without any tools to hand. We’ll have to make real preparations first before we can attempt any rescue efforts.”
Gothic novels were all well and good when it came to dramatic readings, but they made poor guidebooks for more practical efforts. Fortunately, Rose had been raised by an acknowledged mistress of organisation, even if she had dreamed through most of her mother’s lectures on the subject. “I’ll speak to Uncle Parry’s gardener when we return to Gogodd Abbey. I’ll wager there must be something useful in his tool shed. But if we want to really put a stop to this and prevent Sir Gareth from simply replacing these poor creatures with a whole new batch of smuggled animals ...”
“There will be a legal resort,” said Mr Aubrey, “but only if we can provide evidence. Whether it’s the excisemen who will see to it or whether His Majesty’s Royal Commission on the Licensing of Dragons will appeal to the local magistrate to apprehend him ...”
“And what will happen then to me?” Miss Thomas’s voice broke through their planning. Stepping back, she crossed her arms over her chest. “When my uncle’s crimes are discovered, what will become of his property – my home? Will it be confiscated? Or will he have to sell it to pay his fines?”
“Your ... no. No, surely not!” Rose shook her head firmly. “This house isn’t his property, is it? Not if it’s in your name, rather than his. So—”
“Ah, but I’ve had it explained to me quite clearly, several times in the last several months, that in this country, under proud British law, I am the legal property of my guardian for the next four years.” Miss Thomas’s smile showed her bared teeth. “Montrose made that very clear every time I attempted to ask any questions or request any changes on our journey across the ocean. Until I reach the age of five-and-twenty, I am wholly at the mercy of my guardian, to do with as he likes … and that was why I was meant to be so grateful for his bothering to summon me to Britain in the first place and allowing me to live here in this great house with him now.”
“But that can’t possibly be right ... can it?” Rose turned to Mr Aubrey.
His fair eyebrows furrowed. “I’ve no notion of the exact legal definition of a ward. I do know an inheritance may be held in trust until five-and-twenty, but when it comes to the exact limits of guardianship ... I could ask my man-of-business, I suppose.”
“Yes. Do that. Quickly, if you please. Then, at least I may know whether I shall lose my home or merely be left penniless within it for the next four years because of my uncle’s criminal actions.” Miss Thomas’s breath came in short pants as she met Rose’s gaze, her dark eyes fierce. “From the moment my mother passed, thirteen years ago, my father put all his faith and all his efforts into preparing me for the day when he would finally return to Britain and I would take my place in his society. He even changed my name from Amina to Amelia immediately after my mother’s passing. I was never once allowed to meet my mother’s kin, in case they influenced me into becoming anything but the perfect, proper, British, Christian lady.”
Closing her eyes for a moment, she breathed in deeply before expelling a shuddering sigh. “I loved my father anyway, and I know he loved me. So, I have tried for months to honour his final wishes, to be grateful and to submit to my new duties and obligations. However, I cannot bear to be a pawn any longer.”
When she reopened her eyes, her gaze was flat with determination. “No matter how desperate this situation may be, I will not allow myself to be pushed into place or discarded for anyone else’s purposes ever again. Of course, I want these dragons to be safe and cared for. Do you think I can’t see – and even smell – their suffering? Or do you imagine me so heartless that I wouldn’t care for my fellow prisoners in this house?”
“I never meant ...” Rose began.
Miss Thomas cut her off with a slash of her free hand through the air. “I don’t care how kindly your intentions may have been. I will not allow you to sacrifice my future for these animals! Before you take any desperate action against my uncle, I need to know exactly what my own true status is, and what will become of me if he is ruined.”
Rose hardly even recognised the perfectly polished lady she had met two nights ago in the furious woman who stood before her now. There were no masks of charm or propriety left between them anymore ... and the justice of Miss Thomas’s words made her stomach curdle in shame.
Beside her, one of the caged dragons let out a low and plaintive cheep. The muscles in Rose’s shoulders tightened with painful sympathy, but she didn’t lower her gaze from her hostess’s face. “We won’t take any actions until you know exactly what your options are,” she said quietly, “and we won’t take any actions you disagree with, even then. You will not be left homeless or penniless. I promise.”
These dragons all needed to be rescued ... but not until Miss Thomas could safely rescue herself.
With their hostess’s assistance, it was no great challenge to slip out of Penryddn House undetected. Still, Rose remained silent and withdrawn as she accompanied her not-quite-fiancé down the winding, unkempt drive and onto the private road by the river that they had driven along together only a day earlier. Walking arm-in-arm in the shade of the overhanging trees, it was simple enough to direct Mr Aubrey’s steps while allowing him to sink into the respite of his book.
Her own thoughts were far more difficult to manage.
The steady rippling and splashing of the river on their left mingled with the busy chatter of the birds in the trees to their right, providing plenty of cover for the quiet sigh that she finally, carefully released ...
But Mr Aubrey turned as swiftly as if it she had sounded an alarm. “What’s amiss?”
“Oh, no! I didn’t mean to interrupt you.” Wincing, she forced an apologetic smile. “It’s nothing you need worry about, truly. You may return to your reading. I won’t bother you again.”
“I was only reading while I waited to speak to you.” He closed the book in his right hand, his expression as mild as if he’d uttered a simple, obvious truth rather than startling her speechless. “I could see that you were troubled, but you seemed to need quiet time to think. Have you had enough now? Or do you require more?”
