Page 61 of The Dark Hiss of Magic
Between mouthfuls of a stuffed courgette flower I regaled him with a tale about He Who Crunches Bird Bones, who’d recently started trying to befriend one of the chubby ponies who lived in one of my neighbours’ gardens. My cat had decided that the best way to win the little horse’s heart was to bring him gifts in the form of odd socks stolen from houses up and down the street.
MacTire pursed his mouth. ‘Oh.’ He paused. ‘Cute.’
Once the plates had been cleared away, he told me a complicated story involving money laundering and another werewolf pack. I listened and nodded all the way through –mostof the way through. I lost concentration at one point whenMacTire tried to explain the intricacies of lupine inheritance laws.
‘Hmm,’ I told him, displaying the full extent to which I cared.
He nodded. ‘Indeed.’
When the pasta arrived, MacTire forked a swirl of spaghetti and chewed thoughtfully before swallowing. Finally he said, ‘It’s been nice weather lately. For January.’
I looked at him and he looked at me, then I burst out laughing. MacTire stared at me stony-faced before he also cracked a grin. ‘This isn’t working, is it?’
‘I like you,’ I said. ‘And you’re definitely the most handsome man I’ve ever met.’ MacTire nodded, accepting his due. ‘But it turns out that I’m not attracted to you at all.’
‘I like you too, Kit. You’re fun and clever and capable.’
I noted sardonically that he didn’t say I was the most beautiful woman he’d ever met.
‘However, I have to say that this evening has proved that I’m not attracted to you either. The element of danger that you bring with you intrigued me enough to suggest otherwise but…’ He shrugged. ‘I was wrong. This isn’t meant to be.’
I felt a sense of overwhelming relief and raised my glass of wine. ‘I’ll drink to that.’ MacTire matched my action and we both took a long gulp.
The waiter suddenly reappeared. ‘I’m sorry to interrupt your meal,’ he said, ‘but there’s a woman here who says she needs to talk to you, Ms McCafferty. I’m afraid she won’t take no for an answer.’
My eyes widened. Mallory. ‘I’m sorry,’ I said to MacTire. ‘I need to speak to her. I’ll step outside. It won’t take long – a minute or two at best.’
He waved a hand. ‘Bring her in here. I’ll go to the restroom and leave you to talk for a few moments.’
I watched him go. Alexander MacTire was definitely a gentleman but he would never bemygentleman. And that was no bad thing.
‘Hey, Kit!’ Mallory arrived, slightly breathless and red-cheeked. She sat down on the chair that MacTire had just vacated. ‘Sorry I’m late – it took longer than I thought to get the information you needed. The witches’ council has been in disarray all day.’ She raised an eyebrow. ‘Something about one of their own getting arrested for murder, which I believe you know about?’
‘You’re well-informed.’
She smiled. ‘That’s my job. Anyway, I’ll knock a month off your waiting period because of the delay. If I don’t come to you for the return favour within the next eleven months, you are released from further obligations. Is that okay with you?’
More than okay. Mallory was little more than an hour late and, frankly, her interruption had been welcome. ‘Sure.’
She grabbed a hunk of crusty bread from the basket and started ripping at it with her teeth. ‘So,’ she said, getting down to business. ‘You wanted to know what was top of the council agenda this week. Despite the spanner in the works with the arrest, there’s only one topic that has been consuming the witches.’ She swallowed a mouthful. ‘This is great bread.’ She took a swig from MacTire’s glass. ‘Good wine, too,’ she commented. ‘A Tuscan merlot?’
‘So I’ve been told.’
She smacked her lips. ‘Tasty. Very full-bodied. I like the notes of fig.’
‘The council?’ I prompted. I didn’t give two figs about the wine – or any figs, for that matter.
‘Oh yes. They’re preoccupied with silphium.’
I frowned. What?
‘In fact, the witch who’s been arrested for murder – FetchDaniel Jackson? – had been tasked with retrieving it. Interesting, wouldn’t you say?’
‘What the hell is silphium?’
A shadow fell between us: Alexander MacTire was back. ‘Silphium is the most desirable, most potent, most magical herb that has ever existed,’ he offered.
Mallory waved up at him. ‘What he said.’
