“What do you mean you moved up in time?” she asked. It was true that Gloria was incredibly gifted with anything that had to do with time.
“She moved it forward very fast. Not that she was actually moving it forward, but as it has already happened in relation to the year we’re in, she was able to—”
“Yes, I get it,” she interrupted his long explanation. “Like flipping through the pages of a book without reading them.”
He beamed at her. “Ah, that’s a perfect example. I shall have to tell Roddy, because he couldn’t understand at all.” He stopped abruptly at her look and she carefully rearranged her face so he would stop twitching. “Yes, your cousin. Of course. Well, after three days, he left.”
“Left the village?”
“Yes.”
“Is that all? Go speed forward some more. Perhaps he went on an errand? Why would he leave after only three days?”
Alan shrugged. “I’m sorry, my lady, but we can’t get a read on him again. It’s as if he just disappeared.”
She didn’t think screaming in frustration would advance the friendly image she wanted Alan to see. Nor would throwing something. She stiffly walked to the door and held out her hand.
“Thank you for the information,” she said even more stiffly.
Alan scurried out. “Don’t worry. We’re still going to keep watching for him.”
She nodded and as soon as he was out the door, she slowly and quietly eased it closed. “Those bastards,” she hissed, pacing from one end of the large room to the other.
Had they kicked him out after only a few days? What kind of family was that? Had Owen been wrong about his cousin Sorin’s open invitation? No, Owen wasn’t wrong. Those horrid people must have found some fault with him. But how? He was sweet and malleable and agreeable in every way. It wasn’t possible he’d offended them somehow. And he was brilliant. Incredibly talented.
She stopped her pacing and shivered, recalling how powerful Owen was. To the point of having no control over it. That was the reason he’d gone to the Povests in the first place, to learn how to harness it so it wouldn’t trample all over everyone. And they’d turned him away. If he’d been too much for his powerful family to handle, she couldn’t bear how alone he must feel, wandering around Europe on his own. Struggling not to do magic. Was he getting enough food?
She wanted to run from the house and saddle up a horse to find him, then laughed at her folly. She was years, not just miles away from him. And if her team of expert scryers couldn’t find him, how could she?
The door opened again and she swore, turning red when she saw it was Nick. She forced the irritation from her face, but apparently not successfully.
“Goodness, shall I go out and come back in again?” he asked in the teasing tone she normally loved. “Or not come back at all?” His laughing face turned serious when he saw there were tears on her cheeks. She hadn’t noticed them herself until he wiped them away with his fingertips. “Ariana, what is it?”
She couldn’t explain it to him without making him jealous. Which was ridiculous. She loved him. Of course she did. But it was different from the way she loved Owen and he would never understand it. She hated when he got sullen every time she mentioned Owen’s name. Or any of her family, for that matter. She remembered her inklings of a plan to invite her parents and felt the tears flowing again. She was so very lonely.
Instead of telling him anything about any of it, she let herself be gathered into his strong arms. Normally that made her feel better but her worry for Owen was too great to be soothed away with a mere hug. Of course she couldn’t let him know that or she’d have to contend with his sulking. She was just not in the mood.
“You must have some magic to you,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound false. “You always make me feel so much better, no matter how foul my day is going.”
He grumbled deep in his chest and she was sorry for bringing up his lack of magical ability. It seemed she couldn’t do anything right around anyone today.
She had always thought magic was something anyone could learn at least a little bit of, but she was wrong. Nick was completely useless in that arena. However, it didn’t bother her unless he got in a snit about it. She could never make him understand that she didn’t need him for that. Or for money. But if she tried to explain that to him, he went all pouty, same as when she talked about Owen. Nick was awfully high maintenance sometimes.
“Take me into London tonight,” she said, hoping to get them to common ground. Good food and good wine in a posh eatery was sure to make him happy. “We can spend the night.”
She wagged her brows suggestively at him and then instantly regretted that as well. It seemed she couldn’t get her footing back since the news about Owen. To keep Nick from getting his hopes up too high, she pulled away from him, trying to look more prim and proper. While she enjoyed their fevered kisses and his deliciously roaming hands, she’d never spent the night with him. He’d been fine with it so far, but as time went on she knew he’d grow more impatient. She could demand he marry her but she wasn’t sure if that was what she wanted. And honestly, she wasn’t sure he would propose. So she kept him at arm’s length, literally, as he smiled down at her.
“Darling, that’s a marvelous suggestion, but have you forgotten I’m leaving for Italy and the year 1814 today? I’ve come to say farewell.” He took her hands, fondling the huge ring on her finger. “It looks so lovely on your fair hands. Think of me
