Cold Magics (23 page)

The musicians struck up another tune and Thomas led her through the opening steps, Patrick and Eileen following closely behind. The dance was a pattern dance, the couples moving in stately fashion in gradually shrinking circles and squares that, just when it seemed there was no room left, would blossom outward again.

Rose was not a good dancer, Thomas discovered. She was still at the coltish stage, all long, skinny legs and little else. He guided her as best he could through the various steps and caught her when she stumbled. Her father, by contrast, was confident and smooth, leading Eileen easily across the floor.

When the music stopped, the dancers applauded politely, then cleared the floor as new couples moved in to take their place.

“Your father dances well,” said Thomas.

“They all do,” said Rose. “Duke Antonius requires his knights to be versed in the courtly arts as well as the manly ones.” She looked at the floor. “Unfortunately, his skill hasn’t passed on to his child.”

“You did very well,” said Thomas. “Practice is all it takes. In fact…” he looked across the floor to where George sat, glass in hand, watching the dancers. Thomas tucked Rose’s hand in his arm and started toward him. “George!”

George rose from his chair, and Rose’s eyes followed him all the way up. “And how did you end up with this fair lady?” he asked. Rose blushed and looked at her feet.

“I don’t know that you were formally introduced,” said Thomas. “George, this is Miss Rose, daughter of Sir Patrick.”

George bowed, the movement not too graceful. “I am pleased to meet you.”

“Miss Rose, my travelling companion, George Gobhann.”

Rose curtsied. “Charmed, sir.”

“George, Eileen will be claiming me back as a partner, and it would be very unchivalrous of me to leave this young lady by herself.” Rose giggled again.

“Ignore how he talks,” said George. “Miss Rose, I would be honoured if you would dance with me.”

Rose looked nervous. “I am not a good dancer, sir.”

“Neither am I,” said George. “I just pretend and no one knows the difference.”

“George is a fine dancer,” said Thomas. “And despite his size, he has not crushed anyone on the dance floor. Recently.”

Rose blushed again, but held out her hand to George. The music struck up and Thomas looked for Eileen. She was on the far side of the floor, being expertly led around by Lord Percy. From the expression on her face, she was clearly unimpressed with whatever the young lord was saying. He did not appear to be acting discourteously, though, so Thomas stayed on the sidelines, watching. Lord Percy moved well, and from his expression he was doing his best to be charming. As the dance drew to a close, Eileen curtsied to Lord Percy and started to leave his side, but he looped an arm in hers and took her to the table where all the young nobles gathered. Thomas could not hear Eileen but he could see her protesting. There was some pushing among the nobles before one of the larger ones stepped forward, bowed and led Eileen back to the floor. Thomas watched, determined the next dance would be his.

The music played on.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” advised Henry, stepping up beside him.

“I wasn’t planning on it,” said Thomas. “What happened to your dance partner?”

“Amelia Parks,” said Henry, pointing to the floor. The blonde girl was dancing with George, and seemed to be talking non-stop. “She’s had her eye on him all evening. She may try to keep him.”

“The lords dancing with Eileen,” said Thomas. “Who are they?”

“The younger sons of the barons from around the duchy,” said Henry. “Guests of my father’s since before the troubles began.”

“Guests?” asked Thomas, thinking back to his classes on law and politics. “Or hostages?”

“Well, mostly guests,” corrected Henry. “Though a few are here to keep their fathers in line. They serve in my brother John’s troop, and are knighted before they return to their homes. Most are here for three years or more.”

Eileen came around the floor, her eyes found Thomas and she raised a hand from her partner’s shoulder to wave. The young man was speaking to her and though Thomas couldn’t make out the words, Eileen’s expression showed that she was far from pleased by them.

“I think I will take the next dance,” said Thomas.

“They won’t let you,” said Henry. “They’ll insist that she dance with them. And since they are nobles, you can’t argue with them.”

Thomas was appalled. “You’re joking.”

“No,” said Henry. “I’m not. Where she is concerned, they outrank everyone but her father.”

Thomas thought about it as Eileen went past again. A few steps behind her, George and Amelia came by again. George’s expression was enough like his sister’s that Thomas almost felt sorry for him. “Her father, or any member of her family?”

Henry smiled. “I think any member of her family would suffice.”

“Good.”

Thomas waited until the music ended, then strode across the floor to George.

“Thomas!” George grabbed Thomas’s shoulder and pulled him forward in a motion strong enough to rattle Thomas’s head on his shoulders. “Amelia Parks, may I present Thomas Flarety, son of John Flarety and companion to Lord Henry.”

“Really?” Amelia said. “I noticed you at the table, but you did not stay.” She pouted her pretty lower lip.

Thomas bowed. “But I would be happy to offer you a dance by way of apology.”

Would you?” The pout vanished and delight filled Amelia’s face. “George, you would not mind, would you?”

“Not at—” began George.

“In fact,” interrupted Thomas, “Eileen would probably like to dance with you.”

“Would she?” said George, looking around the room. Eileen was again being led to the corner where the young men were gathered, and looked to be protesting in vain once more. George’s brows drew together. “I see.”

“I’d move quickly,” advised Thomas. “Before they take her out again.”

George bowed to Amelia. “If you will excuse me.”

“Oh, are they up to their old tricks again?” said Amelia, watching George go. “They’re a rather naughty group of boys, really.” She took Thomas’s hand and he began leading her through the steps of the light, tripping piece the court musicians played. He knew it well enough that he could look over to where the young nobles had surrounded Eileen. He saw not George, but another man, stepping into the midst of the nobles. With a firm hand and what appeared to be several firm words, he led Eileen out and onto the dance floor. George stepped in front of the man and, after more words Thomas couldn’t hear, bowed awkwardly and stepped aside.

“And who is that?” Thomas asked Amelia.

Amelia looked. “Oh!” she sounded both shocked and amused. “Baron Goshawk. And he said he would not be dancing tonight!”

“Did he?” Thomas cast a glance over to George, who was warily watching the baron dance with Eileen. The man had a light step and moved easily. As Thomas watched, Eileen’s expression eased from worry to relief. “You must get the next one with him, then.”

“Oh, I will,” said Amelia. “You can be sure of that. What happened to her hair?”

“Pardon?”

“It’s so short. What happened?”

“A long story.” Thomas didn’t take his eyes of Eileen. The baron led her gracefully around the floor, and the next time Thomas saw her face, she was smiling. He felt a twinge which he at once identified as jealousy and immediately tried to smother.
There is nothing to be jealous about
, he thought.
She’s dancing with him, and she’s smiling. That’s good, so stop being an idiot.
He forced his eyes back to Amelia, who was smiling politely and obviously waiting for further explanation. Instead, Thomas said, “Henry tells me your family are merchants.”

“Yes,” she followed the topic change without missing a beat, “and George says your family are the same?”

“My father is a cloth merchant,” said Thomas.

“Mine deals in metal, thought right now there is some difficulty, since there is no market to speak of,” said Amelia. “You dance passably well, by the way. Better than your friend, certainly. Though I was pleasantly surprised at how light a foot he has for so large a man. Where did he learn?”

“I have no idea,” said Thomas.

“Then you were not in the Academy together? But of course not,” Amelia answered before Thomas could. “The son of a blacksmith would not be in the Royal Academy. However did you become friends?”

Thomas found himself starting to dislike Amelia. “We grew up together.”

“I see. Well, that certainly explains it. One does not choose one’s childhood companions. And no doubt your lady was also a childhood companion? She seems so young to be courting. One should not make rash decisions in one’s youth before one has had time to meet other people.”

Given that Amelia was certainly no older than Thomas’s own eighteen years, he found her condescending tone somewhat hard to take. He kept his mouth shut, and kept dancing.

Amelia didn’t seem at all bothered by his lack of reply. “Now, my father insisted that I stay away from romances at such a young age as your lady. George said she was sixteen?”

“Aye.”

“And what must her father be saying? He does know she is here, doesn’t he?”

“Of course,” said Thomas.

“And in the company of only yourself? Hardly fitting.”

“Her brother is here.”

“But not a lady’s companion? But then I forget,” Amelia laughed prettily. “She is the daughter of a blacksmith, not a merchant or a lady. I’m sure she is used to being in rough company.”

You would be amazed
, thought Thomas, gritting his teeth together to keep from saying more.

“Which would explain how she tolerates dancing with Baron Goshawk.” Amelia cast a withering look in the baron’s direction, tossed her own rather long hair, and smiled again at Thomas. “But what of you? The son of a cloth merchant, and a student at the Royal Academy, George said. How is it Henry brought you north, rather than a troop of soldiers?”

“The soldiers are coming.”

“Well, I know they are coming,” said Amelia. “I just don’t understand why Henry didn’t wait to come back with them. Why, I am sure his impatience is what caused the death of those two knights. The raiders surely would not have dared attack seven hundred men.”

“His reasons are his own to discuss,” said Thomas. “And now, I believe the dance is coming to an end, and I must attend to Lord Henry.”

“Of course,” said Amelia, “but you will spare another dance, will you not?”

“If I am able,” said Thomas.
If I can’t run fast enough.

The music drew to a close. Across the floor, Eileen’s partner bowed over her hand and tucked her arm in his to lead her off the floor. Thomas bowed politely to Amelia and followed after Eileen. George and Henry, together on the sidelines, watched their progress. The young nobles, Thomas noticed, were also watching.

“And what did you think of Amelia Parks?” asked Henry.

“Interesting girl,” said Thomas. “Remind me never to get on her bad side.”

“Good luck figuring out which side that is.”

“Thank the Four you got her off me,” said George. “She wouldn’t stop talking.”

“I noticed,” said Thomas. “Eileen, are you all right?”

“I am,” said Eileen. She turned to the baron, extracted her arm from his, and curtsied. “Thank you, Baron Goshawk. They seemed inclined to keep me all night.”

“It’s one of their pastimes, according to Amelia,” said Thomas. “They keep bouncing a girl between them. Preferably one who can’t say no.”

“Oh, the girl can always say no,” said Henry. “It’s just that most often, they won’t listen.”

The baron bowed to Eileen, then to George. “I am sorry to step in before you had the chance, but I knew they would listen to me at once, instead of arguing as they might have done with you. You will forgive me, I hope?”

“Aye,” said George. “Thank you.”

“I hope you’ll believe me when I say that not all the nobles in this court share the manners of those boys.” He bowed to Henry. “If you will excuse me.”

Thomas watched the baron, who was maybe a few years older than Henry, skirt around the dance floor towards a crowd of older nobles. Thomas turned to Eileen. “Henry was saying that the young nobles can do what they like, unless a girl’s family ask them to do otherwise.”

“So the baron told me,” said Eileen. “He advised me to stay with a family member at all times, even walking the halls of the castle.”

“They can’t do anything they like,” said Henry. “They’re under my father’s law and that means they have to obey common rules of decency.”

“That would be wise,” said George, his tone cool.

“Make no mistake, George,” warned Henry. “The laws here aren’t the same as in Hawksmouth. You can’t start a fight with them.”

“Oh, I won’t
start
one.”

“They are nobles, you are not,” said Henry severely. “If you strike one of them, they can have you flogged. If you draw blood, they can have you hanged. Do you understand?”

George stared at Henry before turning to look over at the young lords. “Then how do I protect her?”

“I protect myself,” said Eileen, grimly. “I don’t need you getting into trouble.” She glared at Thomas. “Either of you.”

Lawrence, Rowland and Patrick joined them, bringing wine and a tray of glasses. Henry took the jug and poured for their little group.

“Tomorrow we will be holding a service for Sir Michael and Sir Gareth,” Henry said. “Their bodies will most likely not be returned here, but they are knights and their sacrifice needs to be acknowledged. Will you attend?”

“Aye,” said Thomas. Eileen and George echoed him.

“Good,” said Henry. “I was about to retire for the night, but I wanted to raise a glass to them before I did. If you please, Sir Lawrence?”

Lawrence nodded and raised his glass. “For the honour of Frostmire,” he said, his voice loud enough to carry well past their table. People around them turned to listen. “For the honour of the Knights of the White Wolf and for the honour of those we serve. Let us remember our fallen comrades and that they gave their lives for ours, and give all honour.”

“All honour,” echoed the knights.