Captive Magics

21 - Grand Meetings

The next day provided an even greater distraction than Tilly dropping by. Around mid-morning they both ran to answer the doorbell and found a small and officious looking man on the step with a summons to the office of the Grand Mage. Lissy drooped imperceptibly.

"It'll be fine," Leander reassured her unconvincingly. She pursed her lips and went to fetch her bag. Her spine was rigid as steel as they set out for the courts.

The appointment with the Grand Mage was long. Leander dutifully waited alone on an overstuffed yellow bench-settee in a small sitting room, occasionally looking up as people passed through.

"Hello there," someone said in friendly tones from the doorway. He looked around and saw a rattish looking man standing there and struggled for a moment to recognise the face. "Jerome Monk-Fustifer," the man prompted. "A colleague of the Grand Mage."

"Ah yes, of course," Leander said, finally remembering the man and standing out of politeness. They shook hands and Jerome smiled greasily.

"So...you're here with Elspeth?"

"Yes, yes I am," he replied, and stayed silent with his hands clasped behind his back as Jerome waited without success for him to continue talking.

"You're her servant?" he asked.

"I am sir, yes."

"Did you happen to see my nephew in Tisk?" Jerome asked suddenly, changing tack. Leander tried to disguise his alarm.

"Your nephew?"

"He has just arrived back from a trip to Tisk." There was a pounding in Leander's chest and he couldn't quite be sure he was about to say something adequately clever or sensible.

"I'm sorry, I don't know who he is," he said conversationally. "Does L-er, does Miss Harper know him?"

"They're former colleagues, she knows him quite well," Leander received another oily smile.

"Was he there on holiday?"

"No no, just visiting old friends. Why were you there?"

"Miss Harper wanted a change of scene," he lied, hoping the answer would keep the man happy. Jerome laughed jovially.

"Ah yes, poor Elspeth! I heard the Home Office start did not go well. Were you there? Did you see that?"

"See what, sorry?"

"See her lose it at the Home Office."

"Oh yes, it was terribly unfortunate. The gentleman – well, I call him a gentleman, but he hardly behaved like one. He quite grabbed her, she was so distressed. I daresay her reaction was only natural."

"Ah, wish I could have been there to see. And why did you, ah, leave Tisk so suddenly?"

"Miss Harper took a bad fall, and it seemed prudent to return home."

"I imagine you will have been disappointed not to see any of your former army comrades while there?" Jerome suggested slyly, as though triumphant to be holding this information.

"Somewhat, although I was there in the service of Miss Harper, it was by no means guaranteed I would have had the time for social calls," he said in a level tone.

"Are you really her servant?" Jerome asked abruptly.

"Well, yes," he lied again, trying to meet the man's gaze with mild confusion whilst his palms sweated behind his back. He was very conscious suddenly of how much he was blinking.