Page 54 of A Sorceress Comes to Call
“Don’t be absurd,” said Lady Strauss. “I’d hardly leave you at a time like this. What kind of friend would I be? I’m shocked at Richard, frankly.”
“No, no,” said Hester hastily, “don’t be. It really was urgent. He didn’t want to go.”
That was something of an understatement. Cordelia had been present as Hester practically begged Richard to track down Mr. Parker. “It has to be you,” she said. “You’re the only one with enough clout to walk into a prison and have someone listen to you.”
“It seems like a wild-goose chase,” Lord Evermore said, glancing at Cordelia. “Interrogating a murderer because of… what, exactly?”
“I hardly know myself,” said Hester. “Just ask if he knows Lady Evangeline.”
It had occurred to Cordelia that the magic that had been laid on Ellen’s father might have included something to cover her mother’s tracks. She wouldn’t just leave him able to blame her, would she? Even if no one believes in real sorcery anymore, she wouldn’t want someone listening to him and asking questions. But how far would that go?
“You might ask him about his cabriolet,” she said. “If he doesn’t seem to know m-my mother. I think he might remember that.”
Evermore’s eyes were full of questions, but he bowed over Hester’s hand. “If this is truly important…”
“It is,” Hester said firmly. “I promise I’ll explain everything when you get back.”
“I hate to leave you,” muttered Evermore. “Particularly at a time like this.”
“I hate for you to go. But I need this question answered. After that we’ll figure out what to do.” Her gaze had strayed to Cordelia and Cordelia had nodded, hoping that this, too, was a problem that Hester could solve.
Someone touched her hand and Cordelia jumped and let out a squeak. “Oh!” she said, immediately apologetic, “I didn’t mean to—I’m sorry, I was—”
“Don’t fret, my dear,” said the Squire, who had rather clumsily patted her hand. “You were miles away, and who can blame you? Worried about your mother, I expect.”
Cordelia dropped her eyes, hoping that would be taken as answer enough. Through her lashes, she could see the Squire nod. “Don’t fret,” he repeated. “She’ll be right as rain in a few days. Just the shock, you understand, and who can blame her? Not the sort of thing a gently bred lady expects to have happen.”
“Unlike gently bred men,” said Hester, in dulcet tones, “who have assassins leaping out of every bush.”
Lord Strauss had a sudden coughing fit. The Squire sputtered something and Hester shook her head, lifting a hand. “Forgive me, Samuel. That was in poor taste. It’s just…”
He took his sister’s hand and squeezed it. “We’re none of us doing so well,” he said.
“It’s not as if any of us have much experience with this,” said Lady Strauss. She waved off a footman who was attempting to replace her sliver of meat and sauce with a second, slightly different sliver. “All those classes on proper etiquette for hostesses and they never mentioned what one is supposed to do after a murder.”
Cordelia wrung the edge of the tablecloth between her hands. Two murders. It was two. She looked up and found Hester watching her. The older woman gave an almost imperceptible nod, and lifted her wineglass, and the pressure in Cordelia’s chest eased a little. Hester understood. Hester might even believe her.
She wasn’t completely alone.
The footman took her plate away and put another one in front of her. Some kind of braised greens. Cordelia managed to eat several bites, and it was not until the meal was over and the dishes removed that she realized that she had not once worried about which fork to use.
“I’m sure your mother would be glad of a visit from you,” said the Squire, as they stood. He patted the air near her shoulder, perhaps not wanting to touch her, for fear that she would jump and squeak again.
Cordelia’s heart sank. Her calm felt like a sheet of ice and she could already feel cracks forming in it. She’ll be able to tell. She’ll take one look at my face and know that I told Hester that she was a sorcerer. I know she will.
But of course if her mother was upset, she should visit. That was what a normal mother would want, and what a normal daughter would do. Not visiting would look suspicious.
“I was… I didn’t want to bother her. If she was resting.”
Lady Strauss came up on her other side and gave her a quick squeeze with one arm. “It’ll do her good to see you,” she said. “If I’d been through something frightening, I’d want to see that my children were alive and well. Even if I knew they were fine, there’s nothing quite like seeing. And mothers aren’t quite rational about these things, you know.”
Cordelia bit back a hysterical laugh. No. Not quite rational. Lady Strauss meant well. Likely she still thought of Evangeline as a rather obnoxious fellow guest. Hester wouldn’t have told her, not without some sort of proof.
Please, god, let Lord Evermore find Mr. Parker and find out something. They need to believe me.
“I’ll go and see her,” she murmured, and fled the parlor, feeling the ice cracking beneath her feet.
A stone-faced maid let her into her mother’s suite. She was a good deal older than Alice, her eyes downcast. Cordelia wondered what she had suffered in her mother’s employ. Not that Mother will do anything that you could complain about, not really. But I doubt it’s easy either.
