Miss Landon and Aubranael

Part 25

He took a deep breath. 'I found her in the nursery. She was lying in the cot she had used as a baby; it was too small for her by then, and she was all twisted up inside it. Her face was blue, and her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.

'I realised someone else was in the room, someone I didn't recognise. He or she was wearing a white cloak that covered everything—face, body. I had no idea who it was, but I knew that he or she was an enemy. I threw myself at them—I don't know what I expected to achieve, but I was distraught. I got a face full of dark magic for my trouble, and when I awoke I was like this.' He touched his face.

He could not bring himself to tell the rest of the story. Ayliri lived for a very long time, ordinarily, but Lihyaen's family had been dogged by tragedy. Soon after Lihyaen's death, her mother had died as well; some said she had died of sorrow. Then scarcely a year later, her father disappeared. He had left behind a document abdicating the throne of Aylfenhame in favour of his next heir, whoever that might be—even he did not know. He had never again been seen in Aylfenhame.

Since then, there had been no monarch. Many had laid claim to the throne, but none had been able to prove their right to it above any other. There had been many years of turmoil and instability, and people often spoke of the king's return with longing.

Aubranael cared nothing for that. All he cared for was Lihyaen, and she was gone.

He was so far buried in his memories that he failed to notice Sophy's silence for some time. At length he looked up to find that her face was bone-white and she was staring at him with a stricken expression.

'I'm sorry,' he said quickly. 'Gracious, you ask a simple question and I tell you the whole tragic tale...' He talked on in what he hoped was a soothing way, stricken with remorse. What had possessed him to trot out the entire sorry story? No one had ever asked before. Perhaps the thrill of this new closeness—of having someone to confide in—had temporarily disordered his wits.

At length Sophy seemed comfortable again. Her smile wobbled a little, but it held, and she slipped her hand into his in a gratifyingly trusting way.

'Perhaps you had better tell me your secret another day,' he suggested. 'I have shocked both of us enough for one evening.'

Sophy nodded. 'It will be better if I show you,' she said cryptically. 'Come to the parsonage tomorrow, early.'

He nodded. 'Are we...?' he began, then hesitated. He couldn't tell what she really thought of his tale. Finding out that Mr. Stanton and Aubranael were the same person had obviously shocked her, but he couldn't tell what she really thought about it. Did their engagement stand?

She smiled warmly enough to banish his fears, and nodded. 'We are,' she said quietly. 'I can understand why you lied.'

He felt such a glow of satisfaction, affection and relief, it was as though he was filled with sunshine from head to toe. He had never dared hope that Sophy would be so very understanding; that there would be no interval of dismay and distrust, no misgivings to explain or soothe away. She was perfect, he decided, and made a vow to himself then and there: he would never, ever let anything happen to her. He had failed Lihyaen, but he would never fail his Sophy.

These heroic reflections were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps in the passage behind him, and he was abruptly brought back to reality. Here he stood in the Alford Assembly Rooms with his own face! Mr. Stanton's palatable good looks were gone, and he stood in danger of exposure.

Sophy grasped the situation instantly, and took his hand. Rapidly she led him back through the passages—hurrying past the person whose footsteps had alerted them—and out the front door. When she climbed into his carriage after him, he was too distracted to notice the impropriety of it. He called to the driver from within the coach, hoping that nobody would glance in and see his face.