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  “Aye, I know. And I shall forever be indebted to you all for that.” His shoulders slumped. His green eyes darkened with a flicker of what Lucky could only describe as guilt. Lewis never felt guilty. He always thought he was above reproach. For one brief instant, his heart went out to his old mate, and then, in as brief an instant, his sympathy disappeared and frustration replaced it.

  “And yet, you have the audacity to tell me to sheer off Miss Fortescue? I knew that you were a pompous ass but I never thought you would stoop to being this kind of a snob. I…I thought you believed that me and Felix had come up in the world and were now worthy of affection from ladies born into the ton.”

  “The boot is quite on the other leg, mate. I don’t think she is worthy of you. Damnation, Lucky, she isn’t good enough for you. Can’t you see that? I am trying to protect you. She is a liability. Granted, she is unaware of this, and she could be a dear girl. You cannot stick around long enough to find that out. She has powerful magic radiating around her. And if she ever figures out how to harness that magic, you could be in a hell of a lot of trouble, and if she’s already figured out how to control it, God help you.”

  “Is she a threat to you?” he asked stiffly.

  “Hardly,” Lewis scoffed. “Well,” he said, giving it some thought. “I do not think so. A full blooded fairy she is not. Now, a full blooded fairy could give me a bit of grief. However, this now explains how Colonel Blessing lasted so long after Mrs. Hislop started working that death curse on him. He must have gone over to Elysium Hall to see his nieces, and their collective magic humming around them probably blanketed him, and worked as an interference for the curse. Their magic kept him alive until I was able to break the curse. They must have been aware of the stench of dark magic on him…I don’t know why they didn’t break his curse. That only reinforces my supposition that they are not in full control of their powers. They cannot work their glamour on those that share a blood bond with them, but they can heal their relatives—as long as that relative isn’t destined to die. It wasn’t the Colonel’s time, so yes, indeed, they would have been able to keep him alive until I came along and broke the curse.”

  “There you have it.”

  “I don’t follow,” Lewis muttered.

  “They aren’t evil.”

  “Oh, I never said they were evil, Lucky. You misunderstood. They aren’t dark fay—and well, to be fair, some of the dark fay aren’t even evil…mischievous, but not evil. It’s all rather a grey area... The light that shimmers around the Fortescue girls is quite wondrous. They…they just cannot be trusted.”

  “So, you are telling me they aren’t evil, and then in the same breath, you are telling me they cannot be trusted. Which is it, eh?”

  “Both. They are not evil, and they cannot be trusted. I am quite certain they are unaware of their magic in their blood, and if they do know about it, I don’t think they are as accomplished with wielding it as I am. Their magic has been diluted throughout the generations. It obviously comes from their father’s side because there isn’t a drop of the stuff in the Colonel’s blood or in his sister’s blood. I…I almost wonder if it becomes active in the female line—the men can carry it, but they can’t actually draw upon the magic in their blood. But enough with my guesswork. It matters not. What does matter is that you stay the bloody hell away from her.”

  “No.”

  “Yes.”

  “No, and that is final, Doc. I am a grown man in case that had slipped your mind. You cannot tell me what to do.”

  “I could give you an order,” he countered.

  “Aye, and I wouldn’t listen to it. We are not in the Army anymore.” Impatiently he raked his hand through his hair. “I don’t want to be at odds with you, Doc. I care too much about you, but I won’t be deterred. I want to pursue Miss Fortescue.”

  “And therein is the problem.”

  “I still don’t understand what you are prattling on about, and honestly, I am growing tired of this conversation. I can’t believe I am going to say this but I grow weary of you.”

  “You don’t understand. Fay blood has a bunch of problems to it. The magic can manifest itself without a person’s knowledge. It’s almost as if it takes on a mind of its own. Right now, if she truly is clueless about it, her magic is surrounding her, sort of like a shield. The fairies themselves call this a glamour, and even if she doesn’t realize it, her glamour can twist people’s minds, and hearts. She could be bewitching you, pulling you to her without even realizing it, and if she does realize it—well, you are in a mess of trouble. Good God, she could bewitch everyone in that ballroom without even breaking a sweat.”

  “She isn’t that sort,” Gil snorted indelicately.

  “And how do you know that?”

  “She reminds me of Lady Blessing, and Lady Blessing wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing. Whatever you might think of them, they are an honorable family. Hope might carry the Fortescue name, but she is also a Blessing. Maybe we should go and take this matter to Felix and see what he thinks.”

  “Leave Felix out of this,” Lewis growled. He sighed, his temper ebbing. “And yet…I suspect that’s why her younger sister seems to have the men flocking in droves around her. Did you catch Lord Chorley’s stunned expression, after having a dance with her? He had danced with her, being sucked into her glamour, and the only thing that broke the spell was his growing affection for Miss Duffy. That’s the only thing that can possibly stand against glamour. Mark my words. Love. True love. Fairies can’t do anything about that. Even their strong magic cannot break or make true love. They can recognize those who are matched for each other, but they cannot make love out of thin air. No magic can. We can make a cheap copy of it, aye. We can affect people’s lust, by making their attraction double, or even triple for another person, but true love…no, that’s something that comes from a power higher than our own. The only other thing that is immune to it, would be those like me, and of course, anyone that shares a blood bond with her. She cannot affect her aunts or her mother, thank God for that. Or I suspect that the little brat would be using it to wreak hell throughout her family.”

  “I can’t believe we are talking about fairies. We sound as if we have both cracked, you know that? This isn’t a bloody production of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

  “I know,” Lewis said. “It is far more serious. I imagine if she is conscious of her fairy ancestry, she would also know that she cannot use her active magic without a terrible price to pay. Fairies…well, they emit a special kind of light, sort of a fairy light, if you will. This light can attract other fairies, it works much like a beacon. The only problem is that it can attract good and bad fairies. She wouldn’t want to abuse her powers for that reason. If she did, it could beg for a problem far larger than anything she could think of dealing with—on her own. She would be at the mercy of a full-blood fay. Her power wouldn’t be a match for that. For that reason alone, her father hopefully warned her against it. If he told her of the perils that her magic came with, she might only rely on her glamour, as that won’t light the beacon.”

  “Fairies are not real, Doc,” he said tiredly. He really was growing tired of their little chat.

  “You would have said the same thing about witches before you met me. Where do you think the Bard got all of his ideas from? They didn’t come from thin air, let me tell you that. Magic charms this land of ours. It runs through England, Wales, Scotland, Cornwell, and all of the Islands surrounding us. Ireland has also been touched by it. The fairies, pixies, and other magical creatures have made these lands their own when they decide to spend time in our realm.”

  “I can’t listen to any more of this twaddle. It’s just too surreal. I cannot do it. We are supposed to be celebrating Candlemas.”

  “Don’t bathe in Hope’s light. Just stay away from it,” Doc advised. “I will beg you if I have to.”

  “No.” Gil moved toward the door and opened it. “Don’t even try to stop me.”

&
nbsp; “I won’t. I do not use my magic in that manner. I have only ever used it for your own good, Lucky. I wish…I wish you could understand that. Just heed my words. You are not exactly a normal man, Gil. You will…you might regret pursuing her. Falling in love with her shall put you on a path you might not want to be on. I…I only want the best for you! If I was a lesser man, I would use my magic to stop you. I would use it to alter your memories so you left this place and never came across that enchanting little lady again.”

  Lucky stopped to consider his words. Turning slowly around to regard his friend, he sighed. “Don’t use your magic at all on me—or on Hope. Even if you think you are doing it for my own good. Go back to Iris. Spend your time with her. Love her, and adore her. Give her all of your attention, and stop meddling in the affairs of others, eh?”

  “Fine,” he said grudgingly, though Gil could tell that his old friend was anything but fine with everything the way it stood now. Worry shimmered in Lewis’s eyes. Worry not for himself…he was only worried about Lucky. He hadn’t seen him look that way in years. He hadn’t seen him look like that since they were fighting Boney.

  Regret clawed at him. He couldn’t have this hanging between them. They were mates. Their bond had been forged in blood. They had seen each other through life—and death. They couldn’t fight over a girl—no matter how important she was.

  Lucky couldn’t help himself. His irritation he felt toward Lewis faded away. He couldn’t stay angry at him for long.

  “If what Hope and I share is true love, Doc…how…how can she affect that? She has no power over it, isn’t that right?” Hope stirred within him. He didn’t want to lose her. He knew he had only met her, but he had been through a lot of hell in his life, and he knew when he had found something good. He knew it, and he wanted to cling to it for all that he was worth.

  “She can’t. You are quite correct in that assumption,” he said simply. “True love is its own special magic, and cannot be affect by the thrall of the glamour. Enjoy her for the rest of the night. After tonight, keep your distance. If you are going to be a bloody fool, and I cannot warn you off her, then, listen to what I have to say right now, and take the words to heart, and don’t ever forget them. If you do not think it is merely infatuation, you will know if you remain parted long enough. Her glamour can’t affect you if there is distance between you. It will wear off. I would say in about twenty-four hours, if you are still feeling tenderly toward her, then, your feelings are real. But give her the chance to pursue you. If she chases after you…if she cannot keep herself away from you, then, another kind of magic is at work here, and you cannot fight true love. No one can.”

  “What if she only wants to cast a spell on me? Wouldn’t she pursue me?”

  “No. I don’t believe so. Fairies do things for their own amusement. They have always been that way, and I don’t think they will ever change. They can be fickle creatures, Lucky. They wouldn’t want to pick out a life partner that they only wanted a bit of a jolly from. They take the bonds of marriage too seriously for that. They would never willingly marry someone they didn’t truly love. They wish to share their lives with their soulmate. They will give up anything to ensure they have that kind of love. Evidently, an ancestor in Hope’s past did give it all up. Full blooded fairies are immortal, falling prey only to certain poisons, and of course, losing one’s head. However, to keep their immortality, they have to live amongst their own kind. Trading immortality for love—that has to be a great sacrifice. Worth it, I know, but still, to forsake all that you knew for one person. That’s true courage—and the truest and purest form of love.”

  “You said she doesn’t realize she has fairy blood, so would she have the same regard for the sanctity of true love?”

  “Aye, but I would wager she still feels the same way that most full blooded fairies feel about love. They are the biggest romantics out of any of the magical races. Their cousins, the pixies, come in a close second. Then again, the two clash like Titans…so…”

  “And witches?”

  “Witches live for love, so I suppose we come fairly close to it as well. We live for it, and losing it, almost destroy us. That’s the problem with those of us charmed with magic. We have no control over losing what we love the most. We can help others…but rarely, can we help ourselves. That is the price we pay. Our powers are both a blessing, and a curse that way.”

  “I know. I saw that firsthand, and I pray I won’t ever have to see it again.”

  “Now, go on,” Lewis said gruffly, his voice almost choked with emotion. “Off with you. Go back to the party. Just be careful. Proceed with caution, that’s all I can ask of you.”

  “I don’t have to be careful, Doc. I have luck on my side, remember?”

  “Oh, aye. How could I ever forget? You forget one thing, though, mate. Luck can’t protect you from a broken heart. I have seen you hurt enough.”

  “I know,” Gil said sighing. “It seems that in everything else I have luck on my side, except for when it comes to love. I aim to break that set of losses. I think Hope is the one to do that for me. I feel like I can spend forever just looking at her, Doc.” He was about to leave the room, and he paused, thinking back on how Desi had handled the gentlemen she wanted to dance with. That little fairy had to have her wings clipped, and soon. “Her sister, Desi…why couldn’t she affect me?”

  “She tried?” Lewis asked softly, raising an eyebrow in alarm.

  “She did.”

  “Before or after you met Miss Fortescue?”

  “After.”

  “Interesting.”

  “What does that mean, Doc? No more riddles. I can’t read into things the way you can.”

  “It means that you have hope, mate. You have hope. So cling to it, and never let go.”

  With a mad grin, Gil left his friend behind, and headed for the ballroom.

  Chapter Six

  Hope was afraid.

  She was afraid of the feelings stirring within her. It was as if every single part of her had come alive. Her mind was muddled but her heart was not. She had finally found a man that could affect her.

  The spark that ignited between them back in the Library lingered in her memory, and the tingles of it remained on her skin. Never before had she felt such a thing after touching another man. Granted, she hadn’t touched too many men that weren’t related to her. Despite what Desi thought to the contrary, she had danced with other men. Since Desi had started to attend balls, her dancing partners had been dwindling, and even though they were now in scarce supply, the suitors had once flocked to her. Eventually, she had been the one to build a wall around herself after having her heart broken and her reputation left in shreds. She had wanted to keep the suitors away and it had worked. Now, she wished desperately that she could dance again with Lord Langford. If only she could summon the courage needed to leave the sanctuary of the Library to go back to the ballroom.

  Mayhap, if she waited long enough he would seek her out. She put the book she had been holding aside, and stood up. She was wearing this beautiful new frock. Why hide away? Fanny had wanted her to have a jolly good time of it, and she was letting her cousin down.

  Summoning the courage she previously believed she hadn’t possessed, she walked out of the Library, and barreled straight into Lord Langford. Flustered, she stared up at him in wonder. He had caught hold of her with his strong hands to keep her from being hurt after she had bounced off him.

  “I…I was hoping I would find you in the Ballroom,” she said breathlessly.

  His dark eyes softened, and lit with hope. She bit her lip. What could she say next? She was so nervous. She had never been this nervous around a man before, and she realized why she felt so nervous with him. With him, his reaction mattered to her. No other suitors had reached down deep inside of her heart the way he had done.

  She swallowed thickly, and licked her dry lips. “I could do with a refreshment,” she said. He offered her his arm. She eyed it warily. Accepting it m
ight make some tongues wag, but oh, how she wanted to take his arm. Closing her eyes briefly, she opened them again, and took his offered arm.

  “Uncle Christian always has the punch that the King loves dearly at his balls. I could do with a cup of that right now.” Footman walked around the ballroom with trays of champagne. She didn’t lead him back to the ballroom.

  “Why are we walking toward the South Drawing Room?” he asked. She could see that she had piqued his interest.

  “I thought you would have known, since you are such a close friend of Lord Blessing’s. You have been in residence here for over a month. We are going to the Refreshment Room, which is always the South Drawing Room during events like these.”

  “Ah, I see. I heard that there was going to be a light supper at the end of the night.”

  She laughed. “Oh, aye. Those that are still standing will attend. I do not know if my aunts shall remain that long. Mama always stays until the wee hours of the morning, but my aunts like to retire early. I don’t think I will be around long enough for that.”

  “Why not?” he asked. They walked into the South Drawing Room, and he discovered that there were an endless supply of widows and spinsters at the ball. He thought there were quite a few of them sitting in the ballroom, but there were more of them here. Sitting with them were old men. He supposed that they were the widowers or men that had fought off marriage to the very end. He swallowed thickly. This could be him in about forty years.

  She parted from him, and walked over to where the bowl of punch was. Handing him a glass of punch, she waited for him to take a taste.

  “It is rather refreshing. That’s tea that’s in it, isn’t it?” he asked softly.