“That’s one way to put it,” Wesley muttered.
With Alfred loaded into the police lorry, they went back up to the manor. “I will make sure both the medallion and the cuff relics are locked up in my family vaults,” Sebastian said, as they walked through the gardens with Arthur and Rory not far behind. “We should check on your cousin and Lady Nora. And we should make sure a doctor arrived for Louis, although I am still angry with him.”
Wesley raised an eyebrow. “You’reangry?”
“He tried to shoot you, Wes, of course I’m—shit.”
Without warning, Wesley’s knees turned to liquid, sending him stumbling forward.
“Wesley!” Arms quickly came around Wesley from behind, catching him before he hit the ground. “Sorry, sorry,” Sebastian said, pulling Wesley upright. “The magic got away from me.”
Wesley snorted, the last of the watery sensation leaving his limbs. Perhaps another man would have been annoyed at the realization that he was probably going to fall several times over the next few days, but the thought made Wesley smile. “I think the odds are fairly certain that this won’t be the only time you lose control.”
“I’ll be fine,” Sebastian insisted.
“You just said you’re still angry.”
“I mean, Iam, but—”
“You’re the one who told me it’s harder for paranormals to keep control of their magic when emotions are high.” Wesley let his fingers brush against Sebastian’s wrist, the one with the tattoo. A platonic enough gesture for public, but still letting himself have that touch. “And youarea paranormal again. There’s no question.”
A tiny smile curled on Sebastian’s lips. “I guess I am.”
“Exactly,” said Wesley. “So do you really think you ought to walk into the manor and knock the whole house to their knees?”
“I won’t,” Sebastian insisted. “It will be fine—oops.” He grabbed Wesley by the arm, just barely keeping him on his feet as another rush of magic swept the garden path. “You know what? Maybe I will not go anywhere near Louis. Maybe I will just go up to my room and change into clothes without mud. Alone.”
“Good thought,” Wesley said, letting his fingers indulge in another quick brush against Sebastian’s wrist.
Inside the manor, Wesley found Geoffrey and Nora in the ground-floor library. Nora was pacing and shaking her head. “Uncle Louis is stable and resting.” She sighed. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do about him. Or about Father. And I don’t have the faintest idea how my sisters are going to handle this when they find out.”
Nora and Geoffrey had missed all the magic, so that secret was safe. But Nora and her sisters would certainly have plenty else to deal with. “So you did know, this entire time, that Dr. Wright was really your father?” Wesley asked.
“Of course I did,” she said. “But only for a few weeks. I really was in Canada visiting my sister. Father came to me as I was preparing to come home. Said there had been an attempt on his life two years ago, and Uncle Louis was pretending to be the duke so Father could investigate. He asked me to assist with the doctor cover story on the ship home. I was just so happy that he wasn’t actually dead; what cause did I have to doubt them?”
“None,” Geoffrey said firmly. He was standing rather close to Nora. “I think you’ve been absolutely admirable throughout the whole ordeal. As brave as Artemis herself.”
“Really?” Nora paused in her pacing and eyed Geoffrey. “You know, it’s going to be a very trying time, dealing with all of this,” she finally said. “Some of my sisters have very strong opinions about reputation. I could use some company I can trust…if you’d like to stay?”
“Oh,” Geoffrey said, looking rather surprised. “Yes, actually. I’d be happy to.”
A maid stuck her head into the library. “Begging your pardon, Lady Nora, but all four of your sisters have telegrammed. Two of them are already on their way and Lady Euphemia is on the phone now.”
“Oh dear.” Nora sighed again. “Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse me?”
Wesley watched Nora follow the maid out of the library. “I still don’t understand why you followed Sebastianto the guest house,” he said to Geoffrey. “I mean, you’re right that I would have been livid if you had knowingly let Sebastian wander into a house infected with scarlet fever. But since when do you care if I’m cross?”
“Oh, I don’t,” Geoffrey said. “But Don Sebastian had been such a decent fellow in the art gallery, giving me a chance to talk to Lady Nora. It really would have been poor of me to let him catch scarlet fever. But obviously I couldn’t saythat; Don Sebastian would think I didn’t know how to talk to women.”
“God forbid he got that impression.” Wesley tilted his head, considering Geoffrey. “You know, there was a moment, out on the hunt, where I was worried that you’d been the one to take the shot at me. After all, that would make you Lord Fine now.”
“That is incredibly insulting, Wesley,” Geoffrey said, sounding genuinely affronted. “We’refamily.”
Wesley gave a tiny shrug. “Yes, well—”
“And also,” added Geoffrey, still testy, “Iwouldn’t have missed.”
Wesley pinched the bridge of his nose.
