Changeling (Sorcery and Society Book 1)(35)

“How is my family, Owen?” I asked, ignoring his jibe. “Are they all right? Is there any trouble? Did your mother send you to warn me?”

Seeing the honest panic on my face seemed to shake Owen out of his teasing. He straightened on the bench and the mocking smirk all but disappeared from his face. “No, nothing like that. Mother honestly sent me to check on your progress. She thought it would look good for the whole family to be seen as concerned about your welfare, since you’re supposed to be grieving and you’re our beloved cousin and all. Father would have come if he wasn’t so busy in the Capitol at the moment. Your family is fine. I wouldn’t have teased you like that if something was honestly wrong.”

Nodding, I smiled and let some of the tension drain from my shoulders. “So I’m a political pawn?” I sighed. “I think I liked it better when I was just your mother’s potential social weapon.”

“Well, mother does love her little surprises,” he said, smiling as he rubbed the back of his neck. “My father’s term is coming to an end, and he’s about to lose his seat in the Guild. He’s failed to vote for measures that would impose stricter sanctions against the Snipes.”

I frowned. “What sort of sanctions?”

“Some in my class feel that Snipes are getting a little comfortable with their positions in Guardian households, too confident, so the new laws would impose fines and other punishments on Snipes who show disrespect for their employers or disregard for the laws.”

“So they’re creating laws to punish Snipes for not appreciating those laws?”

He nodded. “Yes. And from the disdain in your voice, I can tell that your feelings about those laws reflect my father’s. He has been quite vocal about his opposition to the proposal. Our friends and neighbors think that he’s getting too soft, which brings us to your sudden addition to our ‘family.’ A young woman in his household making a social sensation in local circles, could only help his public image, change the perception of him as a weak legislator to one of a doting father figure to a fascinating, though tragic, young woman of some power.”

I shivered, clutching my shawl even tighter to my shoulders, ignoring the way Owen’s voice dropped when he said, “power.”

“And how do you feel about stricter sanctions against the Snipes?” I asked.

He frowned. “I can see why some people might think that the Snipes are becoming a bit… confident.”

“Because of girls like my sister?” I asked, feeling an odd mix of resentment and resignation. Mary did go too far in her doomed pursuit of Owen, but I couldn’t help but want to defend her. She’d always done so much for me, put up with so much from me, the weak little sister who couldn’t carry her own weight. As much as it embarrassed me, there were times I wished she did get her happily-ever-after with her handsome prince, because it was the only thing that would make her happy. But that was madness, and as much as I loved her, I didn’t put Mary’s happiness above our whole family’s safety.

He ignored the question about my sister. “I don’t think the laws are appropriate. It seems as though my class would rather legislate their way to respect rather than building a solid relationship with your kind. Perhaps the answer is a change in behavior on our part rather than a change in yours.”

I couldn’t help but note that despite my change in residence, Owen still grouped me in with the Snipe class.

“Have you spoken to your father about possible alternatives to the laws? He could help with education programs, literature, town hall meetings, something.”

“My father wouldn’t take my suggestions seriously. He doesn’t take himself seriously,” Owen sighed.

“Still, I don’t understand why your mother would go to all this trouble. Even if your father did lose his seat, it isn’t as if that would ruin your family financially.”

“No, but it would embarrass my mother considerably, losing a family seat. And of course, there is the small matter of her expectation that I run for the seat when my father retires it. And she could lose face with the Demeter Society, which would crush her. My father would be content to be known as the world’s foremost ornithologist. But Mother’s from Brandywine stock. She knows the value of power. It’s fine for him to putter around his lab, after all, she’s a pioneer in botany research. She would never begrudge him his hobbies. However, she’s a Senator’s wife, and she expects to be a Senator’s mother. She will accept nothing less.” After a long moment, he added, “An ornithologist is a scientist who studies birds.”

“I know what an ornithologist is,” I shot back, surprised by the acid in my voice. “I’ve read a good portion of the contents of your father’s library. I’m not stupid.”

Owen’s brows rose. “I never said you were stupid.”

“No, but your expression said it all,” I told him. “In fact, it would help if you lowered your eyebrows right now, considering that they’ve been hanging there since I mentioned my extensive reading.”

He burst out laughing, but he ran a hand over his brow, very deliberately relaxing his forehead into a less surprised state. He dropped into the wrought iron chair next to mine. “I’m getting lectured on proper facial expressions by the kitchen maid. This is ridiculous.”