Rebel Magisters (Rebel Mechanics #2)(9)

We’d barely made it into the parlor before we were assailed by a cloud of lace. Lady Charity Spencer made Flora look somber and serious in comparison. “Oh, Flora!” she cried, grabbing Flora’s hands in greeting. “How good of you to come! And such good timing, too! I was just saying I wanted to take a turn around the park! We can all go together! Your governess can chaperone us!” Everything she said came out as an exclamation of utmost importance.

“A turn around the park?” Flora said, with some dismay. If Flora had thought she could get away with it, she would have had litter bearers carry her across the room.

“Oh, please, please say yes!”

Even Flora was helpless against Lady Charity. “I suppose so,” she said weakly.

“Oh! You are the dearest friend! Let me get my hat and gloves!” A maid materialized at her side with hat, gloves, and coat, and soon had her ready to go out. I followed dutifully.

Once we were in the park, Lady Charity appeared to go on high alert, darting her eyes back and forth and sometimes straining her neck as though trying to see into the distance. At the same time, she kept up a rather loud chatter to Flora, twirled her parasol, and walked with dainty, mincing steps. I had to fall back to trail the girls so I could muffle my snickers. I knew exactly what was happening here. Lady Charity’s behavior was a slightly more ostentatious version of the way I used to act when I hoped to encounter Alec in the park.

Flora arrived at the same conclusion. “You’re hoping to meet a boy, aren’t you?” she said.

Lady Charity swatted her lightly on the arm and gave a trill of shrill laughter. “Whatever gives you that impression?”

“You’re acting like a silly goose. You might get his attention, but you won’t impress him.”

“You don’t even know who he is. He might be impressed.”

“No, he won’t. But why did you have to sneak around and drag me and my chaperone into your schemes? Charity, he isn’t some entirely unsuitable boy, is he?”

I swallowed a groan of dismay. My primary duty as chaperone was making it impossible for magister children to mix with nonmagical people—they didn’t want the talent extending beyond a certain class. Did that duty apply to those outside my employer’s family? I was afraid it did, if my presence meant that both girls were considered properly chaperoned. But did that mean I had the authority to intervene? At least it sounded like Flora might support me if I had to.

I sincerely hoped Lady Charity didn’t run into the object of her affection. Alas, a small magical roadster slowed as it approached us. “Why, Lady Charity,” the driver said with a bow. “What a pleasure to see you out this fine day.”

Charity glowed so brightly we could have lit the library with her. “Oh! Mr. Brightley! This is a surprise!”

I relaxed ever so slightly. If he drove a magical roadster, there was a very good chance he was a magister, himself. They could be driven by people who didn’t have power, but few nonmagisters could afford such a thing.

Flora cleared her throat, and Lady Charity said, “Oh! Lady Flora Lyndon, may I introduce my friend, Mr. Brightley? Mr. Brightley, this is my friend, Lady Flora.”

He tipped his hat at Flora and gave her a slight bow. “Charmed to make your acquaintance, my lady.” I noticed that I apparently didn’t merit an introduction.

“Whatever are you doing out today?” Lady Charity asked, giving her parasol a twirl.

He frowned slightly. “I thought I told you I’d planned to go driving this afternoon.”

Lady Charity reddened. “Oh! I suppose you did.”

Now I had to wonder if he esteemed her as much as she did him, or was he truly so dense that he didn’t realize she’d arranged to encounter him?

Flora took her friend by the arm and addressed Mr. Brightley. “It was a pleasure to meet you, but we really must resume our walk if we’re to make it home in time for tea.”

He bowed and touched his hat again before driving off. As soon as his roadster had rounded a bend out of sight, and presumably out of earshot, Flora whirled on her friend. “Oh, Charity,” she said, sighing rather than giving the audible exclamation point Charity gave the word “Oh.” “How could you even consider him? He doesn’t have a title. His father doesn’t have a title. There’s no chance that he’ll ever inherit a title. Your father would never approve.”

“Which is why I have to resort to subterfuge in order to meet him,” Lady Charity said, heading down the path in a way that I might have considered “stalking off” if she hadn’t been taking such dainty steps. “He’s so much more interesting than any of the titled men I know. Would you have me set my cap for someone like your uncle?”

I was glad I was behind them because I stumbled at her words. I tried not to think of it often, but I knew that Henry would be limited in his choice of wife, and I would never qualify, not unless we founded a new nation with fewer restrictions. This was the kind of girl he was likely to end up with, which might explain some of his revolutionary ardor, I thought, rather uncharitably.

Before I could mire myself in self-pity, we encountered another gentleman on the path, this one on foot. He tipped his hat and bowed to us, but I was the one he addressed. “Good afternoon, Miss Newton,” Colin said.

While I hadn’t been sure of the etiquette regarding a magister who wasn’t nobility, I knew for certain that Colin was exactly the sort of man who was entirely unsuitable for interaction with these girls. Not only was he not a magister, but he was an immigrant from the lower echelon of society and a member of the Rebel Mechanics who would likely have had a warrant out for his arrest if the authorities knew his name and face.