Chemistry of Magic: Unexpected Magic Book Five (Unexpected Magic #5)(84)

That, of course, excited her sisters’ lust for excitement. They left, chattering, completely confident that they were safe in their father’s sheltered household surrounded by servants.

Aurelia wished she could be as blissfully ignorant. But she’d heard and suffered the result of neglect and violence and no longer pretended the world was a safe place.

As if her gloomy thoughts had taken on a life of their own, a distant cry, almost a childish wail, pierced the normal cacophony in her head. There were no children in the house. Even her younger brother Teddy was away at school.

Aurelia hummed, hoping to drown out the various noises so she might dress for dinner.

But by the time the musicale was ready to start, all she could hear was the child’s terrified weeping. She could not think, could barely breathe with the anguish overwhelming all the more pleasant noises buzzing through the halls.

She might disregard adult arguments and avoid normal conversation by humming to herself, but she had never been able to ignore a terrified child. But neither could she go out into the world on her own. The daughters of a duke had the need for accompaniment drummed into their very souls from birth—especially in this tragic household. That meant dragging footmen and maid into the cold damp night on a fool’s errand when they’d anticipated a pleasant evening of music. There was no surety that she could find the child or that she did not imagine it entirely, as everyone would assume.

And then she remembered Mr. Madden coming to her rescue this afternoon.



Will scratched the heads of a few hounds, checked the kennel’s water supply, and secured the gate. Moonlight peered from behind the clouds, lighting the grounds sufficiently to find his way back to the stable. Preferring the simplicity of animals to people, he enjoyed the late hours when no one was about. He’d have to take Ajax on a nighttime patrol soon. The mastiff was still young, though. He wouldn’t rush her training.

He favored Castle Yates over his other places of employment or the grandiose home where his half-brothers resided. He’d been born and partially raised in Yatesdale. He was comfortable here, where people didn’t expect him to be more than Maeve’s bastard son. He had no inclination for science or politics as his brothers did. He didn’t need the city. The land he meant to buy once he’d earned the duke’s coin was in a peaceful valley of the Cotswolds, where he’d never have to wear a tailored coat or read a book again.

The sprawling ducal castle and its occupants were as complex as London and politics as far as he was concerned, but he could appreciate them from a distance. Lights flickered in half the windows. Music poured from an upstairs gallery. He listened to the notes blending with the sleepy calls of birds and crickets. Perhaps, when he had his own place, he’d learn to make music. Or find a wife who could play.

Thoughts of a wife made him restless. Now that his brothers were almost all married, it was time to find a woman of his own. Or quit coming to Yates where he was reminded daily of what he wanted and couldn’t have. For many good reasons, he didn’t dally with the women of the village any more than the ladies in the castle.

He was about to reconsider working off his excess energy by taking Ajax on a patrol of the grounds when he noticed a cloaked form racing toward him.

What the devil? There was no mistaking her slight figure. Even should there be a maid of the same size, she wouldn’t have been wearing a fur-trimmed cloak. For good reason, his grace’s daughters never went out without escort, and this was twice in one day that the addlebrained lady had risked her person.

Pulse pounding, Will hastened to put himself between her and any danger. He’d lived here half his life and never spoken a word to the duke’s reclusive daughter. Twice in one day signified a change in the universe as he knew it, and he tried to maintain his usual composure. Difficult, he admitted, knowing the most-sought-after heiress in the kingdom roamed loose in his territory.

“Mr. Madden,” Lady Aurelia cried when he stepped into her path. “Thank goodness. There is a child lost in the woods. I hear her cries, but I cannot understand what she is saying.” She continued toward the stable, expecting him to follow.

Had she been anyone else, he would no doubt have balked without further enlightenment. But Lady Aurelia’s daunting beauty concealed the fact that she wasn’t entirely right in the head. She required all the security the duke could surround her with—and maybe some extra brains.

Following her, he listened to the night sounds, but if there was a child crying, he couldn’t hear it. “Children cry,” he said, searching for a thin thread of reason.

“Not like this.” Impatiently, she tugged at the stable door that had been closed up for the night.

Ever aware of his size, Will knew he could fling the witless lady over his shoulder and haul her back to the house and to the people who ought to be guarding her. He feared she might break if he tried. Alternatively, he could let her tug at the bolted door for the rest of the night. Unfortunately, his mother had taught him better than that.

“Go back to the house. I’ll fetch the dogs,” he said, hoping she might have a rare episode of reason and agree.

“Excellent idea. I’ll fetch Ajax, if you’ll saddle the horses.”

So, she heard only what she wanted to hear. Women were like that, especially women of this particular family.

Will saw no sense in arguing. In her eyes, he was a mere servant, and his duty was to obey her commands. He’d been thinking of walking out anyway. Might as well go for a ride with a madwoman. He grabbed the heavy bar, hauled it back, and heaved open one of the long doors.