Blood and Gold Trilogy

Chapter 7: Big Day

It seemed I'd barely fallen into bed when someone was opening my curtains, flooding the room with too much light to allow sleep to continue. I attempted to simply bury my head under my pillow, but a large weight landed on my chest, sharp claws alternately kneading me through the thin fabric of my nightgown.

"Don't even think you're going to sleep in," Sassafras told me with a hint of evil in his voice. "Georgina has very big plans for you today."

I groaned and shoved him away only to have him pounce on me again with great enthusiasm. "Leave off, pesky cat," I said through a layer of feathers and cotton.

"I overheard the maids," he said, voice full of terrible glee. "You have an appointment this morning."

I cracked open one eye and met his amber gaze. "Whatever are you talking about?"

He hopped free of me as Clara came to my bedside and curtsied. "Good morning, ma'am," she said. "Breakfast shortly, may I help you dress?"

Indeed not. I shooed her off. "I'm quite capable," I said before jerking the quilt over my face.

"Breakfast, ma'am," she said with some firmness, my grip on the coverlet not nearly strong enough as she freed it from my fingers and folded it back. "The mistress was quite insistent, she was."

I sighed out of sheer exasperation. "It can't possibly be morning."

"All of six and a half, ma'am," Clara assured me as she continued to resolutely fold back the warm covers, exposing me to the very early morning chill.

Was she daft? Half six? A set of claws sent me scooting out of bed and onto the rug. At least the tight weave saved my poor feet from the chill of the marble floor.

I had barely a half hour to the stroke of seven to get myself ordered and made presentable before I was hurried down the stairs to the dining room by the very anxious Clara. I wondered if the poor girl had been put on permanent assignment to me and, if so, felt horribly guilty for my normal habits.

I don't think I'd ever been up so early.

I entered the room in a rush, my split skirt rustling, boots ringing in a most satisfying way on the floor. I plastered on a smile, knowing I really had to try my best. Of all the things Sass told me, this one was the absolute truth. I was to be coven leader one day and that meant putting on a good show.

The room was already full when I swept in, my best cheerful expression pulling my face tight. I felt a momentary surge of disappointment when I realized Georgina hadn't been teasing the night before. As she stood and came to grip my hands, I did everything I could to keep my smile genuine in the face of twenty-five or so very mature witches.

And when I say mature, I mean it. Not one of the coven members were under the age of forty at the very youngest, aside from Hugh, Kate and myself, with the majority well into their fifties and sixties. Mostly women, all either smiling back at me with soft murmurs of delight or nodding over their morning tea.

"My dear coven," Georgina pulled me forcefully forward by her iron grip on my hands, "may I present to you Miss Auburdeen Pernelia Hayle."

You'd think I was a member of the royal family, the way they ooh'd and ahh'd. I maintained my absolute genial expression and managed a sort of half bow, half curtsy drawing more than one titter of amusement.

From that moment I might as well have been a new toy or plaything. I was led from seat to seat, touched, kissed, hugged and oogled by every single person in the room. By the time I reached my place I was near fatigued from the sheer weight of their attention. My attempts to block some of their energy failed as I recalled I had as yet to be linked with the Brindle family magic, thus rendering my own inert while inside the walls of the house. I fanned myself as secretly as possible with my napkin while everyone settled in again, finding myself in the same chair as the night before at least, bracketed by Georgina and Kate.

Sassafras was conspicuously absent and I wished I could have gone to join him wherever he hid.

"We're so delighted to have you here, dear," a witch about Georgina's age gushed, perched on the edge of her seat next to a very pale Hugh. "You must tell us everything about the Colonies."

"They aren't colonies any longer." Hugh sounded about as annoyed as I felt. We shared a secret eye roll that actually made me grin.

"No?" Her wide eyes still stared when I met her gaze again. "When did that happen?"

I choked on my tea and decided not to bother informing the woman about the War of Independence fought almost a century before. Or bring up the fact we'd recently been through a civil war since then as well. She obviously wasn't up on current affairs.

"It's lovely there," I said, drawing all eyes. "The cities are nothing like here, very little stone work, mostly brick and wood. We have more and more people arriving every day, immigrants from all over Europe, with plenty of room to spare. There is land as rich as any in the world stretching on and on."

I had no idea I felt so patriotic about my home until I experienced a sudden rush of pride at my words. Common or not, we were building something great across the Atlantic and I loved every moment of it.

Another woman sat back with a huff of breath. "I think it would be dreadful," she said. "I hear there are all sorts of bandits and criminals. Sent from our own prisons."

"That would be Australia," Hugh said and not too kindly. I caught the look of anger his mother leveled and him and again felt a surge of resentment about the treatment of the Brindle's only son.

"Oh heaven's me," the plump witch let out a hideous cackling laugh, "how silly. Of course."

Hugh's eyes lifted and caught my gaze. I let him see my approval and amusement. An actual smile quirked the corner of his mouth.

"Tell us," the first witch said, dipping a scone in her tea, "what of the succession? It must be terribly difficult on your poor mother, having to expend all that magic."

Witch number two chuffed a breath around her own breakfast. "Indeed. Imagine not stepping aside when it's for the good of your coven. How completely uncivilized."

I couldn't argue with them on that note, not when I agreed completely. "My mother is a powerful and capable witch," I assured them, adding another lump of sugar to my tea. "I have no doubt she will bring this to a satisfactory end for all involved."

"Will the Tremere's be exiled, do you think?" Witch number one spewed a few crumbs as she leaned toward me across the table, Hugh flinching away from her.

"That will be up to my mother," I said. "And to them. According to coven law."

They all nodded as one, humming and rocking as they bobbed their heads, murmuring to each other that was indeed the way of the coven. Georgina patted my knee under the table and smiled as if to tell me I was doing well.

It made me uncomfortable for some reason. Especially when I saw Hugh swallow hard and look away from his mother's delighted expression.

Breakfast couldn't end fast enough. It seemed to drag on forever, but the huge clock in the foyer only chimed eight times before Georgina called an end to the meal. The witches filed out, muttering their welcomes all over again, repeating the need to touch and kiss me. I allowed it for the second time, not sure how to say no and not wanting to insult anyone. But by the time the last of them had gone, I was ready to wash my face and hands and change my clothing to banish their powdered scent.

And yet, the sun I'd seen through my windows and from the welcoming front door called to my adventurous side. Perhaps a walk about the city would be enough to clear my head and my nose? I turned to Georgina to suggest just such an outing when she clasped me in her arms and hugged me hard.

"Oh my dear," she said, "you were just splendid." She leaned away, hands retreating to clap a few times in childlike delight under her chin. "They adore you, the entire lot of them. How I envy you and your mother the poise you share."

I felt heat rise in my cheeks, embarrassed and wishing she wouldn't go on so. "Thank you," I said. "It was a pleasure." A small lie, but it served to make her happy so I didn't feel all that guilty for it.

Even Kate smiled at me, a sort of soft adoration on her face. It made me nervous, frankly. The girl was obviously heavily sheltered and the last thing I needed was to either corrupt her with my ways or have her trail around after me like a puppy looking for attention. Not very charitable of me, I'm well aware. And yet, there it was.

"Now," Georgina took my hand and led me to the stairs, "off with you for your outdoor things."

Had she read my mind? No such luck, it turned out.

"We have a very important assignment this morning," Georgian hooked her arm through Kate's.

"Dress shopping." Kate's dimples appeared as she smiled up at me. "Of course, Mother. What a brilliant idea."

I'm sure neither of them understood the look of total horror on my face, if they even saw it at all. They were already heading for the front door, whispering between them while Clara hurried to me and draped my shortcoat around my shoulders.

Dress shopping. I'd rather die.

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