Spellmaker

“Elsie!” Emmeline shrieked as she bolted into the studio and threw her arms around Elsie’s shoulders. Elsie nearly tumbled over, unable to properly balance with both feet, but she embraced her back, another wave of relief engulfing her. It brought her attention to the sleepiness in her joints. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re back! What happened?”

“Too much.” Elsie pulled away and glanced to the men. “But what about Phillips?”

“Phillips?” Emmeline repeated.

“We’ll sort it out.” Bacchus ran his hand over his half beard.

Emmeline tugged on Elsie’s hand.

“I’ll tell you over a bath,” Elsie said, forcing a smile. “That is, if I might use it first.”

Ogden nodded. “Go on.”

Elsie allowed Emmeline to help her up the stairs, grateful for the care and affection of the younger woman. Sure enough, in her absence, Emmeline had already moved all of Elsie’s things into her room, which was the smallest of the three bedrooms the house boasted. Her bookshelf was crammed into the corner, the few items from her desk set neatly on top of it. Her clothes were in Emmeline’s wardrobe, her decorations on Emmeline’s shelves. The furniture—bed, desk, wardrobe—would stay in the other room for Bacchus.

Bacchus Kelsey was going to sleep in her bed.

Soon enough, she would be sleeping in his.

Her face heated. But the idea felt strangely hypnagogic, like it was still just a hope, not something that was actually going to happen.

Emmeline, blessedly, lugged in the copper bath and filled it. Elsie didn’t wait for all the water to heat on the stove downstairs—lukewarm was fine with her. She stripped off her clothes, careful to conceal the opus spell in the boning of the corset. All the while, she told Emmeline everything. It was so liberating, being able to just speak the full truth to another human. She’d been keeping secrets for so long they’d become a part of her.

As she dried off, Emmeline told her what had happened at the house while she was away, and how worried she had been. Touched, Elsie kissed her on the cheek.

Once she was dried and in her dressing gown, Elsie stifled a yawn. “Let’s heat some water for the others. They’ll be wanting to bathe, too.”

Emmeline smiled. “I’ll do it, Elsie. You should rest.”

Elsie looked around the room, all her things mingled with Emmeline’s. “You’ve done so much already.”

“Just let me. You’re limping, besides. I don’t mind. It’s, well, it’s the only way I feel useful. I don’t have any magic or money.” She pulled back the linens on the bed that she and Elsie would be sharing for the next two weeks.

Elsie let out a sigh. “Emmeline Pratt, I’m going to buy you chocolate for all this.”

Emmeline beamed. “A fair trade.”

And so Elsie let her friend maneuver the tub while she lay down.

She tried her best to sleep, and she did in short spurts, a minute here or there, but her mind kept replaying last night over and over—What if I seriously injured that servant? What if he was under Merton’s control, too? After a time, her thoughts shifted to her confessions to Irene and what Elsie would do if the other spellbreaker blew the whistle on them. To Ogden and what he must think of all of this. To Bacchus and what he might be thinking of her.

Eventually she gave up. Her hair was nearly dry, so she combed it through and let it hang loose. When she stepped out of the room, she noticed the door across from her—the one to her room—was closed. If the sounds she’d heard coming back and forth in the hallway while she snoozed were any indication, the tub had been taken to Bacchus next.

She hesitated in the doorway, then turned back to get dressed. Paused. Glanced at the door again. Down the hallway. She heard Emmeline in the kitchen downstairs.

Biting her lip, she crossed to the other door and knocked. “Bacchus?”

“Yes?”

She hesitated. “Can I talk to you?”

A pause. “I’m a little indecent at the moment.”

Her cheeks warmed. “Just through the door, then.”

She thought she heard movement in the water. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Well, that was a lie, but Bacchus knew about all the wrong things, so there wasn’t much point in reiterating them. Her ankle was a little better, but not wanting to push her luck, she slid down the frame so that she sat parallel to the door. Tucking her good foot beneath her, she asked, “What happened at Seven Oaks?”

“I didn’t go to Seven Oaks. I came straight here after I learned you were missing.”

Emmeline had mentioned a telegram. “Are you going? To Seven Oaks, I mean.”

More shifting in the water. “I’m not sure. Not immediately. There are more pressing matters at hand.” A second of silence, then, “I should probably write to the duchess, if only for propriety’s sake.” He was slipping into his Bajan accent again.

Elsie’s lip quirked. “Yes, you probably should.” Weaving her fingers together, she asked, “What about your servants?”

“John and Rainer will continue staying at Master Hill’s.”