Rebel Magisters (Rebel Mechanics #2)(14)

“Not today, thank you. I’ll show myself out. I don’t want to interrupt your evening.”

He was barely out of the room before Rollo said, “Please, Uncle Henry! You have to let us go. I’m sure it would be very educational, right Miss Newton?”

“You just want to get out of school,” Flora said.

“And you don’t want to be away from whichever boy it is you like this week. You’re afraid he’ll forget about you while you’re gone.”

“He would not!”

“Ha! I knew it was about a boy!”

“I didn’t say that. Henry, surely the children could go without me.”

“Yes! We could go without her,” Rollo said. “She isn’t any fun.”

“I want to ride in an airship,” Olive piped up. “I’m not scared of crashing.” She squared her jaw defiantly even as her voice quavered slightly, and I recalled that her father had died in an airship accident.

“I said I would think about it,” Henry said, sounding uncharacteristically harsh and stern. “Enough arguing. As I told your grandfather, I need to make sure Rollo’s schoolwork won’t be interrupted. This trip would also disrupt Miss Newton’s life. Have you considered that there might be other things she wants or needs to do?”

Olive and Rollo immediately looked abashed, while Flora beamed. “Yes, you haven’t even thought of Miss Newton,” she said smugly. “How selfish of you.”

“The only reason you’re not being selfish is because you don’t want to be away from some boy,” Rollo shot back.

“Yes, you just like a boy,” Olive parroted.

“Do I need to send you to your rooms before dinner?” Henry asked.

“He started it,” Flora said. “I was agreeing with you.”

“I did not!” Rollo protested.

“That’s enough,” Henry snapped. “All of you, to your rooms until dinner.” He remained stiff and upright, his hands clenched at his sides, until all three of them had hurried away. Only when the last echo of footsteps had faded did he sink onto the nearest chair. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes and his temples. “This is remarkably bad timing,” he said.

I eased myself onto the chair across from him. I wasn’t sure it was safe to talk openly here. Too many servants were about, and he suspected his housekeeper of being a spy for the governor. “I wouldn’t mind going, if that eases your mind,” I said.

“You’re perhaps more vital to this operation than I am. All that aside, I’m a little more worried about what might happen with the children out of my sight for that long. No harm will come to them, I’m sure, but will I ever get them back?”

I didn’t know what to say. A part of me wondered if it might be best for him not to have such a great responsibility. Other young men his age in his class were having fun with their friends or courting young ladies, not playing father. I didn’t think the governor would be unkind to the children. On the other hand, they stood a better chance of growing up to be good, worthwhile people under their uncle’s care. Their grandfather might love them, but they’d be brought up by an army of servants, and Rollo would likely be sent to England for school.

Both of us were silent for a moment, then he smiled and said, “All of us are tired. I’ll think about it later.”

I went up to my room and was surprised to find Flora lurking in the hallway. “You don’t think he’ll make me go, do you?” she asked.

“I don’t think it will make much difference. Colin doesn’t live in the city. He was only visiting his sister. Even if you remained in town, you likely wouldn’t see him.”

Her face fell, and I thought she might cry. “Oh. Really?”

“I’m afraid so.”

She held her head high, fighting to appear brave even though her lower lip trembled. “Then perhaps it wasn’t meant to be, and I should go to help myself forget.”

I thought she was being overly dramatic about someone she’d barely even exchanged words with, but it was the first time I’d seen Flora actually seem interested in anyone other than herself. “Broken hearts do heal,” I told her. At least, I hoped they did. Mine seemed to have mended, leaving anger as a kind of psychic scar tissue. I wouldn’t wish that on Flora, but I didn’t believe her attachment could possibly be that strong after one encounter.

*

The next morning I received a note in the mail from Lizzie, inviting me to join her for a gathering Saturday evening. Since we weren’t quite on friendly terms these days, I interpreted the invitation to be about the magisters. That night when I joined Henry for my magic lesson, I told him, “I heard from the Mechanics. They want to meet Saturday night. I think we should all go, including your friends.”

“Did they ask to meet with us?”

“Not exactly. But I think it would be much easier for us all to talk directly. It would take forever for me to carry messages back and forth, having to arrange meetings each time.”

“True. This is the kind of business that needs to be done face-to-face. What kind of invitation was it?”

“A ‘gathering’ was all she said. They like to mix pleasure with business, so it’s probably a party. She wants me to meet her at her boardinghouse.”