The Ruin and Restoration of Harrison Fredrick | ONC 2021 |

Chapter Five

Tea would be served in the garden, in a gazebo surrounded with sweet-smelling flowers and birds dipping between plants and a fountain pouring water from a marble boy's trumpet. I took it in as Grandmother pointed out the different plants and fixtures. She walked at my side with her hand resting lightly on my bent arm, as she had instructed was the proper way to escort her. A light breeze rustled around us, but it did nothing to relieve the constricting heat of my borrowed suit. The waistcoat—as Alice had called the vest—was made of a heavy blue brocade, and the jacket and pants were some thick black material. Grandmother wore a light blue dress and carried a lacy parasol for shade, but I was left to suffer through the heat, wishing we could walk faster to get to the gazebo.

That would be unseemly, so of course we couldn't. The temperature itself wasn't a problem—summers in the Tennessee valley, with its soupy, humid air and unrelenting sun, were much more brutal. But never did I have to walk around wearing four layers of dark clothing and pretend to enjoy it.

Servants bustled around the gazebo, setting a table with platters of sweets and sandwiches. Lissa was among them, but she ignored me as she worked. I hoped she hadn't gotten into much trouble with Alice.

Grandmother instructed one of the servants to adjust the cloth napkins, then sent them away except for two standing at attention at the railing. I pulled out her chair—careful not to make it scrape, you're welcome, Sir Roger—and once she was settled, took my own chair to her left. She nodded approvingly when I glanced to her. "So the farm boy can be taught after all," she said.

I smiled to hide my desire to flick a sugar cube at her face.

My magic shuddered so forcefully that I nearly leapt out of my skin. A second later the door to the house opened and the butler stepped through, followed by three people even more elaborately dressed than us. Grandmother stood and curtsied to them. "Your Graces," she greeted. "Welcome, and thank you for your presence today."

Shaking off the unnerving buzzing feeling, I followed her example and stood, studying the girl standing at the woman's side. Adeline was my age, with dark hair curling down her back and pale skin that looked like it'd never seen the sun. Her dress was such a light pink it was almost white, with rosebuds trailing over her shoulders and down the skirt.

Grandmother pinched my arm, and I realized I'd been staring. I flushed and bowed. "Your Graces. Lady Adeline."

Adeline's dark eyes glinted and her parents watched me like I was a sacrificial lamb. Finally the Duke of Lestonshire nodded. "Lord Fredrick." He addressed me so seriously I nearly checked the sky to see if I'd be struck dead for daring to be called "Lord."

"Please, make yourselves comfortable," Grandmother said. We all sat around the table, with Adeline taking the chair next to me. She smelled like flowers. My magic rushed between my fingers, giving me a lightheaded feeling that couldn't be any more foreboding if it'd tried. The magic knew Adeline was a threat and begged me to do something about it, but I was helpless. I folded my hands in my lap in an attempt to keep them still, and already they'd started sweating.

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Lord Fredrick," the duchess said once the adults had exchanged meaningless pleasantries. She was a straight, severe woman like Grandmother, with narrow eyes and thin shoulders that were covered by a shawl, but somehow she made even Grandmother seem like a sweet, kindly angel.

I was so distracted wondering if any of these people had ever heard of heatstroke that it took a nudge from Grandmother for me to answer. Recalling all Sir Roger's instructions and "acceptable words and phrases" I said, "Thank you, Your Grace. I'm grateful to my grandmother for taking me in on the short notice."