True Magics (16 page)

Eileen stared. “
This?
”

“That’s what the invitation says.”

“The invitation lies,” said Henry. “This isn’t a house. It’s a palace.”

Thomas couldn’t argue with that. The house took up most of the block. Every window—and it had many—was large, glassed, and elegantly shaped. Instead of wood-framed stucco, the walls were made of precisely cut and mortared stone. The front door was deeply inset into the wall half a block away, with a torch and a man in bright green livery on either side of it. High above the door, the roof sloped sharply upward to a single tower.
No doubt for Merchant Bright to watch his ships coming into the harbour.

They walked to the door and one of the men stepped forward. “This is a private party,” he said, looking with distaste at their rapiers. He stopped when he reached Eileen, stared hard a moment, and then looked scandalized. “Not for troublemakers.”

“We’re guests,” said Thomas, holding out his invitation. The man took it and squinted closely as if hoping to find some proof of forgery. The expression of distaste stayed on his face, but he said, “You’ll find a cloakroom on the right, then the banquet hall further down.”

“Thank you.”

The hallway was bright with candles whose friendly, warm yellow glow helped fight off the cool of the evening. At the cloakroom they gave a serving girl their cloaks and coats. Her eyes went wide at the sight of their swords.

“I take it no one else came armed, then?” asked Henry.

“No, sir,” said the girl.

Which is good,
thought Thomas.
Unless she’s lying, which she might be.

“Then we might as well leave the rapiers as well,” said Henry, taking his off. “Will that be all right?”

“Yes, sir,” squeaked the girl. She took the sword-belt, then Thomas’s and Eileen’s, and hung them on hooks. “They’ll be safe here.”

“Thank you,” said Henry. “Is there supper?”

“A… a cold buffet, sir,” said the girl.

“Good,” said Eileen. “I’m starving.

At the banquet hall’s ornate double doors, a middle-aged man in bright green livery stepped in front of the three of them. “Good evening,” he said politely. “May I have your names and titles, so I may announce you?”

Henry stepped forward and rattled off a list that made Eileen’s eyebrows go up and Thomas splutter in protest. The man bowed. “Very good, sir. I’ll ask that you line up, in order of rank, if you please.”

“Of course,” said Thomas, stepping behind the other two. “Thought I don’t think that last was necessary,” he muttered to Henry.

Henry waved off his concerns. “You want to get attention, you enter with a splash. Now, everyone look impressive.”

“Ladies and Gentlemen!” the servant’s voice rose above the rumble of the crowd, and eyes around the room turned in his direction. “May I announce to you Lord Henry Antonius, brother and heir to Duke John Antonius, Captain of the Knights of the White Wolf, and protector of the city of Frostmire!”

Henry stepped through the doors and bowed low. There was polite applause and an excited buzz of conversation. He straightened up and smiled before stepping to the side. The buzz grew louder.

Well, he is the handsome one,
thought Thomas.

“Miss Eileen Gobhann,” called the servant, “sister to Sir George Gobhann of the Order of the White Wolf, and in her own right, Lieutenant of the Royal Academy’s Expeditionary Company!”

The buzz in the room grew louder at that last bit. Eileen walked through the door and did a deep curtsey that would have made Lady Prellham, Eileen’s guardian in Frostmire, very proud. She stepped off to the opposite side of Henry, waiting.

“Thomas Flarety, Captain of the Royal Academy’s Expeditionary Company, and hero of the battle of Frostmire castle!”

Henry had to put in that last bit.
Thomas stepped through the doors and nearly froze in surprise. The banquet hall was huge, with gold-gilt pillars rising up to a magnificently painted ceiling showing a beautiful girl dancing amid flowers and blooming plants, with artists, musicians, dancers and cheering crowds surrounded her on all sides. The walls of the room were painted with more murals, each with its own archway, as if the viewer were looking through a door to another world.

The room was filled with gaily-dressed men and women of every age, from younger than Eileen to old men and dowagers. In one corner a dozen musicians were playing a dance tune. There were easily a hundred people present, and all of them had stopped dancing, eating, talking and laughing to look at him.

Thomas, in his black uniform, felt like a crow among peacocks. He managed to keep walking forward, and bowed as low as Henry had.

The room broke into applause.

Thomas froze. Everyone in the room was smiling at him. He managed to bow again, and stepped to Eileen to offer her his arm. “Well, that’s surprising,” he muttered.

“Not at all,” said Henry. “Everyone loves a hero.”

“What about Eileen?” Thomas said. “Or you? You were there, too.”

“Yes, but we’re not the ones trying to find magic,” said Henry.

Thomas looked over the crowd and sighed.

“At least we’ll get to dance,” said Eileen, squeezing his arm.

Thomas smiled at her. “And without a hundred students treading on our toes.”

“Is that our host, coming this way?” asked Henry.

“Yes,” said Thomas. “Malcolm Bright.”

“Who is the woman on his arm?” asked Eileen.

“I don’t know her,” said Thomas. “But I’m guessing his wife, which would make the young lady beside them his daughter.”

Malcolm was dressed in sumptuous green, with gold lace trim along the sides of his knee-length jacket. The woman beside him had black hair, worn high, and a brown dress cunningly crafted of a dozen different shades, with gold woven through the fabric to make it shimmer as she walked. The girl with them was nearly as tall as Thomas. She was sturdy and buxom with a mass of black curls on her head. She was wearing a dark lime-green gown with a plunging neckline. The dress clung to her curves, and the high waist emphasized the length of her legs. Her curly hair was interlaced with a gold chain and her brown eyes sparkled as she walked towards them.

“Wow,” said Eileen. “That girl is… wow.”

“She’s not as beautiful as you,” said Thomas.

“Oh, yes, she is,” Eileen said. “And then some.”

Malcolm arrived in front of them and held out a hand to Thomas. “So good of you to come. And to bring your fair lady with you!” He took Eileen’s hand and bent over it. “You are as beautiful as your description.”

“My what?” said Eileen, startled.

“The three young men who came south with my ship,” Malcolm said, almost apologetically. “They spoke of you as a fiery beauty, I believe. And now I can see why. Though they did not mention you were with the Academy’s Expeditionary Company.”

“Eileen fought beside Thomas in the battle for Frostmire,” said Henry.

“Really?” said the girl, breathlessly. “Wonderful!”

“And led the rescue when I was taken prisoner,” said Thomas. “Without her I wouldn’t be here.”

“Henry led the rescue,” said Eileen. “I was just first into the caverns.”

“And we could not have succeeded without you,” said Henry.

“Yes, well…” Eileen shook her head and forced a smile. “I thank you for the kind words, Merchant Bright.”

“Please, call me Malcolm,” he said. “And let me introduce my own beautiful lady, Delores Bright.” Thomas bowed low over her hand. Henry bowed lower and smiled at her. Delores laughed at him and turned to Thomas. “Hero of the battle of Frostmire castle?”

Thomas shook his head. “I believe Henry put him up to that.”

“Of course I did,” said Henry. He smiled at the girl. “And who is this charming young lady?”

The young lady in question blushed. Malcolm smiled. “This is my daughter, Claudine Bright. Claudine, may I introduce Lord Henry Antonius, Miss Eileen Gobhann, and Thomas Flarety.”

Claudine curtsied, revealing some rather impressive cleavage. “I love your dress,” Claudine said to Eileen. “How did you manage to fight the raiders in Frostmire? Didn’t people try to stop you?”

“I was dressed as a boy,” said Eileen. “Most people thought I was part of the Student Company.”

Claudine’s mouth dropped opened in surprise. “I haven’t been able to pass for a boy since I was twelve! And you rescued Thomas?”

“I was part of the rescue,” said Eileen, her voice catching just a little. The smile on her face faded a bit. “I didn’t do it all by myself.”

Claudine frowned and looked concerned. “Was it so bad?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.” Claudine bit her lip a moment, then put on a fresh smile. “Then let’s talk about better things,” she said. “Is it true you danced with Thomas at the Duke’s ball? And that Thomas was challenged to duels because of you?”

“Claudine!” Delores sounded at once appalled and amused.

“Please accept my apologies,” said Claudine. “I talk too much sometimes.”

“So does Eileen,” said Henry. “In fact, I have heard her speak for five minutes straight without taking a breath.”

“You have not,” protested Eileen.

“I was there when you argued Beudlean philosophy with James.”

“He was wrong!”

“You study philosophy?” said Claudine, her eyes lighting up, “Then you must come up and see my books. Who is your favourite philosopher?”

“Later, Claudine,” said her father, laughing. “Let our guests have some refreshments and dance before you drag poor Miss Gobhann off to look at old books.”

“I like old books,” said Eileen. She smiled at Claudine. “Call me Eileen, all right?”

“All right,” said Claudine. “Father, may I introduce Eileen to my friends?”

“In a few minutes,” said Malcolm. “Leave our guests alone until they have eaten.”

“Oh, but she can’t,” protested Henry. “I have no one on my arm and I would hate to be the odd man out. Claudine, would you lead us to the buffet and give your recommendations?”

“Of course,” said Claudine. She took Henry’s offered arm and led them forward. “Most of the fruit is in preserves this time of year, of course, but our chef has done a wonderful job with his tarts.”

For the next few hours it was a party much like any other. Thomas danced with Eileen, then with Claudine and several other girls. Henry danced with Claudine first. Both young men and Eileen were drawn into a variety of discussions, from their adventures in the north to how the war would affect the price of fur or steel, to the doings of the young men of the town and the Academy. Henry flowed smoothly from one conversation to the other. Thomas, who had been attending his father’s parties since he was a child, knew enough about the ways of merchants to keep up his end of the conversation. Claudine stayed close by Eileen most of the evening, and several times took her away to introduce her to the other girls in the room.

“I trust you are having a good time, gentlemen, lady?” asked Malcolm after the second bell of the night. They had just finished a circle dance, amid much merriment and missteps, and now fresh glasses of wine were being handed out.

“A very good time,” said Thomas. “You throw an excellent party.”

“I thank you,” said Malcolm, practically beaming with pride. “I have good friends and business associates, and the Festival gives me an excuse to entertain them. But now, do you think I could take you three away from the festivities for a short time? I promise we will return.”

“Of course,” said Thomas.

Malcolm led them to a parlour just off the main hall. It, too, was sumptuous, though on a smaller scale. It ran the width of the building and while it had only three thin, high windows on the street side of it, the other side was almost entirely made up of one large window that gave view onto a pretty courtyard with a garden in the middle of it. The walls were painted in elegant murals depicting men and women dancing and laughing and sharing food. The high ceiling boasted an image of the same beautiful young woman from the banquet hall. Here she spread rose petals over a host of smiling men and women. The furniture matched the walls; green and red and gold fabrics with embroidered flowers decorated the overstuffed chairs and footstools. Everything was done in the most modern fashion possible, and at an expense that made Thomas almost fearful to touch anything.

“Please, sit,” said Malcolm, when Claudine burst into the room. Malcolm’s eyebrows went up. “I don’t recall inviting you, my dear.”

Claudine blushed. “Apologies, father.” She curtsied to Thomas and Henry. “And apologies to you, too.” She stayed low in the curtsey, giving Thomas and Henry an excellent view, and looked up at them through long brown eyelashes. “Would you permit me to stay for your conversation?”

“Of course,” said Henry before Malcolm could open his mouth. Henry held out a hand and helped Claudine to rise. “Your presence will brighten up the room.”

“Oh, thank you,” said Claudine. “Miss Eileen, may I sit beside you?”

“Please,” said Eileen, whose eyes were on Henry. “It’s probably the best place.”