“No.” Penny seemed a bit awkward and unsure of being with Kate and the girls, which was unusual for the woman who was at ease barging in anywhere. “Well, eventually. I want to tell him about this device.” She stood rooted to the rug.
“Sit and talk with us, if you’re not in a hurry.” Kate nodded toward an armchair beside the sofa. “We’re just discussing art.”
“And marriage!” Charlotte added gleefully.
“Oh.” Penny hopped into the chair and threw one leg up over the arm. She began to toss the altar heart up and down in one hand. “Those are two topics that are mysteries to me.”
Charlotte looked over at Penny. “Miss Kate is going to marry Mr. Simon.”
“That’s nice,” Penny droned calmly, regarding the device as it sparkled in the firelight. Then the words sank in and she froze. “What? When?”
“No, no.” Kate held up her hand and laughed. “We were talking about the possibilities of the future.”
“Oh.” Penny laughed too and nodded knowingly. “Well, a woman could do far worse, Kate. A man who’s funny, smart, handsome, and strong.”
“And bullheaded and contrary.”
“He loves you like a hawk loves a clear sky. Have you ever seen him look at you?”
Kate felt herself blush. “I have indeed. Like a duelist over crossed blades sometimes.”
“Exactly. I knew Simon for years in London. Even though he was Mr. Archer to me, he was constantly in my shop. I can see he respects you more than any man. I think he’s a little afraid of you.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
“Oh, it’s very good. You want a man to be a little afraid, or they take you for granted.” Penny stared again at the device, as if lost in her own thoughts. “Some women live their whole lives without a man looking at them like that.”
Charlotte giggled and started a little singsong, kicking her feet while she drew her picture. “Miss Kate and Mr. Simon.”
Kate was warmed by Penny’s matter-of-fact words. They flooded her with memories of the night with Simon, as well as their many conversations and glances and touches. She realized how often he put a gentle hand on her shoulder as he passed, how he simply looked at her when she spoke, nodding and listening with interest to her thoughts.
Charlotte laid her head down on the paper. “I’m going to marry Mr. Malcolm.”
Penny exhaled and shook her head, muttering, “That’s just great.”
Kate stared at Penny, and the two women locked eyes. They began to laugh.
Footsteps sounded behind them as Simon, Malcolm, and Nick entered the room. They each carried glasses of whiskey, obviously coming from some sort of boy’s chitchat. Malcolm was muttering. “How are we going to keep a tutor? She does read quite well though, but she seems drawn to lurid adventure stories. But she’ll need a tutor, and not just for music and art. I want her to learn mathematics and the sciences and geography.”
Simon said, “Well, Malcolm, I suspect we could manage something even without engaging a tutor. I’m rather learned in many areas.”
Malcolm rubbed at his temples. “I don’t want Charlotte to know about those areas.”
Charlotte bounded to her feet and rushed the group, eager to show them her art. Simon took the paper from her. “What a lovely sketch of Kate. You captured her arched eyebrow perfectly. And how handsome I look in such a big … hat?”
“That’s your hair,” Charlotte told him.
“Of course it is.” He exchanged a bemused look with Kate as he settled on the arm of the sofa next to her. He studied the runes he had inked onto the palm of his left hand. It was brighter and much more complex than the temporary runes he had drawn on the backs of everyone’s hands for communication. “Damn, this inscription itches like hell.”
“So,” Nick said, plopping down into an overstuffed chair and propping his feet atop a strange square table covered with a white tablecloth. “You’re so powerful now you’ll beat Gaios with one hand?”
“Yes.” Simon smiled. “And my other tied behind my back.”
“If we’ve got him on the run, why do you look worried?” Malcolm groused as he leaned against the wall near the fire.
“Do I? I thought I looked confident and assured.” Simon showed the runes on his palm. “If I’ve properly deciphered the Bastille containment spell. And properly inscribed the creation phrase on my hand.”
“And if you can get close enough to Gaios to touch the runes to him,” Kate pointed out.
“Well, yes, that too. If so, I should be able to cut him off from the aether.”
“So we expect him to come here?” Penny asked.
“That’s my plan. We’re choosing the battleground. We’ve cleared out as many of the tenants from the estate as we could. And he’ll be here, sooner or later.”
Nick tapped his whiskey against the strange table and lifted the corner of the tablecloth to reveal the Stone of Scone resting on the floor of the Blue Parlor. “We’ve got what he wants.”
“Yes indeed. Only I’ve managed to alter it a bit so it won’t be exactly what he hoped.” Simon rose and moved to the sideboard, pouring a measure of whiskey into the glasses gathered there.