Sebastian finally broke away from the dancing and party games, flushed from exertion in his many layers of dress clothes and wanting fresh air. He slipped across the ballroom, past the crowd milling around the bar, women in sparkling gowns and headpieces, the men a checkerboard of black tailcoats and crimson hunting coats.
From the ballroom he ducked into the hall, heading for a quiet nook with a large window. He stood for a moment, resting his temple against the cold glass, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness of the garden beyond.
From behind him, voices were coming down the hall, a man and a woman.
“I didn’t know you were on the same ship home as my cousin. You said you were in Canada? Is there anywhere you haven’t been?”
“Of course. It’s a very big world, Mr. Collins. One can travel to every port and still have only seen a fraction of it.”
Was that Lady Nora, and Wesley’s cousin Geoffrey walking the hall together? Geoffrey sounded awkward but not grouchy—in fact, he sounded just like Wesleydid when he was making a genuine effort to be nice but wasn’t sure he wasn’t doing it right.
As their voices faded down the hall, Sebastian ran a finger through the condensation on the window, leaving a clear streak of black glass behind. Was there more to Lady Nora’s North American travels—more that involved relics, and magic, perhaps?
The loss of his own magic hit him as hard as it had on the ship. If only he still had his magic. Then they wouldn’t be stuck dancing figuratively around awkward questions, or literally dancing at balls, to try and determine if the Duke of Valemount or his niece were paranormals. Sebastian would have known long ago if Lady Nora had any kind of magic of her own.
Before he could stop himself, he was seeking inside himself for his magic, almost tasting the spark that had been part of him most of his life. Maybe this time, when he reached for it, he’d find it waiting—
“There you are.”
Sebastian blinked. “Wesley?” he said, as the urge to reach for his magic disappeared like smoke in the wind. “How did you find me here?”
Wesley had a small furrow between his brows. “You’d been dancing quite a while; I just got the sense I ought to find you. Are you holding up all right? Or are the other guests still treating you like an exotic animal to gawk at?”
Sebastian snorted. “You heard some of the comments?”
“They’re driving me mad, the things they’re whispering about you,” Wesley said flatly. “Proof that one can be wealthy and privileged and still insular and narrow-minded, though I suppose that’s just as true in Americaand probably everywhere else.” He sighed. “And I suppose we need to get back before we’re missed.”
As they fell into step together, Wesley seemed to not quite be looking at him. “I, ah. I should tell you something.”
“What’s that?” Sebastian said, as they entered the ballroom. On the opposite side of the room, Valemount was talking to Thornton in his red coat, while Lady Nora had a drink in hand and was chatting with another woman as they headed in the direction of the ladies’ drawing room.
Geoffrey was at the nearby bar, but his gaze had alighted on Wesley and Sebastian as they entered, and now he strode his way toward them. “I’ve just heard the news.” Geoffrey nodded at Wesley as he sipped his drink. “Did you tell your friend here? Damn brilliant, isn’t it?”
“I wouldn’t say that,” Sebastian heard Wesley mutter. More loudly, Wesley said, “Don Sebastian, I’ve been charged by the duke to relay his invitation.”
Sebastian furrowed his brow. “What kind of invitation?”
Geoffrey scoffed. “What do you mean,what kind of invitation?Isn’t it obvious?” He waved around them. “We’re at a ball celebrating Thornton’s hunts; of course Valemount wants to show the old boy up. Don’t you have foxes in Spain?”
Ohno. Sebastian cut his eyes to Wesley.
Wesley wasn’t exactly squirming, but he didn’t look particularly comfortable as he said, “That’s the invitation, yes.” He met Sebastian’s eyes. “We’d be at the Valemount ancestral manor for at least three days. The family line has held the property since the fifteenthcentury; I thought you might be interested in having a look.”
“A look atwhat?” Sebastian said. “Some poor fox torn to shreds by dogs?”
“Oh, it’s a sight,” Geoffrey said. “Wesley here isn’t particularly fond of it, but that’s because he’d rather show off with a gun. But if you want to seerealsport, the hunt is—”
“I realize this wasn’t in your plan for England,” Wesley said, a little more hastily. “But I think we need to make the most of this opportunity.”
No, Sebastian wanted to say.No, I’ll solve this with magic, and we can leave the foxes alone.
But he didn’t have magic. And someone out there had wanted there to be no magic at all, and Sebastian could never let that happen.
A chance to investigate at Valemount’s manor could not be missed.
Butwhydid it have to be a hunt?
* * *
