Mathilda, SuperWitch (Mathilda's Book of Shadows #1)(83)

Once I’d nearly finished, he said, “Did you sleep well, my dear?”

Without thinking, I answered, “I found it tough to settle but after awhile, I slept like a baby.”

I had been concentrating on wiping the last bits of syrup with pancake on my plate when I looked up to see a whisper of a smile playing on his lips.

The lights flashed on in my brain.

I’d been had.

Under my breath, I started singing, “Matchmaker” from Fiddler on the Roof.

He took a sip of tea but still, he did it grinning.

“You know, Dr. Bennett, I think you are one sly fox,” I told him.

“Indeed?” he asked.

“Indeed,” I answered.

He nodded then to my surprise said, “And you, Miss Honeycutt, are quite a breath of fresh air.”

My mouth dropped open.

How nice!

Just then, one of the members walked (more like, hobbled) in.

“Mr. Wilding is here for Miss Honeycutt. He’s in the entrance hall.”

I jumped up. “Better go, mustn’t keep Mr. Wilding waiting.”

“I’ll escort you,” Dr. Bennett offered.

It wasn’t exactly him escorting me, I think he forgot his stick and needed to lean on someone. To all appearances, he looked like he was gallantly holding my elbow. The pressure on my arm, though, was more than gallant.

I didn’t let on, just walked slowly like I had all day.

“So, Dr. Bennett, do you know where Jeremy Bligh is?”

“I’m sorry to say, Miss Honeycutt, that we have not had a report from Professor Bligh in some time.”

Mm.

“Well, Dr. Bennett, would you tell me if you had a report from good ol’ Jeremy?” I asked.

He stopped and turned to me.

“Miss Honeycutt, you are a clever woman so I won’t bore you with my theories on the cycles of history. Suffice it to say, we have our difficult times; we have our trouble-free times. Unfortunately, fate has settled on me the duty of guiding this Institute through what will be its most complicated time in history. This is a task I do not delight in, but it is my providence to direct The Institute through these rocky waters. I can tell you, Miss Honeycutt, in a time of witches using electric wands, not to mention bombs; I would indeed inform you if I felt there were tidings you needed to know.”

I took a moment to process words like “tidings” and “providence” then I kissed his cheek.

“Big changes, eh, Dr. Bennett?” I remarked softly.

“Enormous, Miss Honeycutt,” he remarked softly right back.

We eventually made it to the entrance hall in which Ash was standing smack dab in the middle, somehow communicating that he owned the room even though he most definitely did not.

He’d slept elsewhere such was his aversion to The Institute.

“I’ll leave you here, Miss Honeycutt,” Dr. Bennett said

I figured that was a wise choice.

“Thanks for everything,” I replied.

“Our pleasure.” And he smiled so I smiled back.

Ash had turned at our approach and was watching me leave Dr. Bennett and walk toward him and he did this with his arms crossed on his chest and a not-very-happy look on his face.

I thought it was probably being at The Institute.

Then I thought it was the fact that I was wearing Aidan’s sweater.

I wasn’t going to worry about it because I knew something about him then that I didn’t know before and now I had a lot more patience with his bad attitude.

I must have looked at him all dewy-eyed because he said, “Jesus, Seymour told you, didn’t he?”

Talk about spoiling the mood.

“Told me what?”

He looked me top to bottom.

He knew.

He knew everything.

As in, everything.

How did he know?

Holy crap – what did I do in this situation?

“Don’t let it change anything, Matty,” he ordered, using my nickname which somehow made the bossy order less bossy.

“Okay,” I replied, because what else could I say?

“We ready?” Aidan asked, walking into the room, shrugging into a jacket.

“Yep,” Ash answered.

And off we went.

* * * * *

We showed the photo here and there, followed a few leads, went back to London, took another trip to The Hobgoblin (Derek, exasperated and throwing up hands: “Not again!”) then we went home.

I was busy on my mobile the whole way arranging to get the girls together.

We needed a meeting in the worst way.

I invited Lucy because I figured Lucy was vulnerable so she should know what she’d gotten herself into by being my friend.

My crazy Lucy sounded excited, saying she’d be there and “couldn’t wait.”

Love her.

* * * * *

Approximately twelve point five seconds after we arrived home (slight exaggeration), the coven, Lucy and Josie clustered in our huge kitchen, sitting around the table, on chairs dragged in, on countertops. I stood at one end, Ash and Aidan flanking me like sentries.

I gave a brief, er, debrief. We handed out copies of photos of Bligh.

Lastly, I warned the witches not to use their magic unless necessary, to keep topped up to their full powers, have their ears and eyes open, communicate frequently and keep their wands with them at all times.