Read Online The Laws of Magic 6: Hour of Need by Michael Pryor - Free Book Online
Authors: Michael Pryor
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George.’
‘Speaking of pictures, Holmland has supplied some of those photographs they took, with your being chummy with Baron von Grolman and the like.’
Aubrey sighed. ‘It was inevitable.’
‘While the newspapers aren’t printing them just yet, they’re all making reference to them. How you’re breaking the heart of your mother, betraying your country to the enemy, the promising talent who became the Turn-coat Thaumaturge, the Wicked Wizard, the Malignant Magician, the Dreadful Young Man.’
‘Dreadful Young Man?’
‘That was the Daily Post . They always have unconvincing headlines.’
Madame Zelinka tapped the armrest of the sofa. ‘I think that is enough, Doyle.’
‘Just giving him the flavour of the press.’ George fiddled with a cuff for a moment. ‘When news of the photographs was made public, the uproar was astounding, but thanks to your warning, at least everyone was calling for your head, old man, rather than calling for your father’s.’
Despite all this unfolding as planned, Aubrey was a little hollow inside. ‘And how are Mother and Father? Really?’
‘To the public, they’re heartbroken and dismayed,’ George said, ‘but, really, they’re proud, if a little concerned. They said to tell you that.’
‘You’ve seen them?’
‘Caroline wouldn’t let us talk to anyone before we spoke to your parents – not even the Directorate. Once we left you in Stalsfrieden, she drove us like a Fury through Gallia, picking up Sophie’s parents along the way, before she commandeered a sloop to get us to Trinovant. You would have loved to see the way she stood up to any official who tried to stop us.’
‘Oh yes,’ he said faintly.
‘I have to tell you, old man, that your mother was shocked by your plan. She thought it was outrageous.’
‘I agree with her,’ Aubrey said. ‘It was outrageous. It needed to be outrageous.’
‘I think it took your father about half a minute to realise that. He said you were extremely clever.’
‘He did?’
‘Brave and clever, he said, while he dried your mother’s tears with his coat sleeve. Then she said you were too noble for your own good.’
His mother had actually cried? Aubrey grimaced. He hadn’t meant to distress his parents this much. His mother was usually extremely pragmatic and he’d been certain she’d see how necessary his plan was.
These are distressing times , he thought. Maybe for mothers more than most.
He became aware of the scrutiny from Hugo and Madame Zelinka. Steadfastly, he kept his gaze on a startled-looking ocelot on the wall just above George’s head. ‘You said that you were able to find Sophie’s parents?’
‘Friendly people, overjoyed to see her and her brother. And more than happy to leave Gallia for Albion.’
‘Gallia is in a poor way,’ Madame Zelinka said. ‘Morale is low, the government is fighting within its own ranks.’
‘Sophie’s brother helped convince them that leaving Gallia would be sensible, at least in the short term,’ George said. ‘After he’d explained what a fool he’d been, of course.’
Aubrey had been wondering how the reconciliation would go between Théo Delroy and his parents. While Aubrey was only pretending to be a traitor, Théo had actually enlisted in the Holmland army.
‘The Directorate was more than happy to see Professor Delroy,’ George said. ‘Apparently he has news about Holmland financial dealings that may be useful in our war effort.’
‘Baron von Grolman’s machinations, I hope,’ Aubrey added.
‘I’d say so. Somehow I don’t think that the secret buying into Albion businesses that he’s been doing over the last few years is going to come to much after Professor Delroy, the Directorate and the Exchequer finish their investigations.’
Aubrey’s head was awhirl. So much information after being deprived of it for so long was like putting a rich meal in front of a starving man. ‘What news of the war? Are we winning?’
‘It’s
‘Speaking of pictures, Holmland has supplied some of those photographs they took, with your being chummy with Baron von Grolman and the like.’
Aubrey sighed. ‘It was inevitable.’
‘While the newspapers aren’t printing them just yet, they’re all making reference to them. How you’re breaking the heart of your mother, betraying your country to the enemy, the promising talent who became the Turn-coat Thaumaturge, the Wicked Wizard, the Malignant Magician, the Dreadful Young Man.’
‘Dreadful Young Man?’
‘That was the Daily Post . They always have unconvincing headlines.’
Madame Zelinka tapped the armrest of the sofa. ‘I think that is enough, Doyle.’
‘Just giving him the flavour of the press.’ George fiddled with a cuff for a moment. ‘When news of the photographs was made public, the uproar was astounding, but thanks to your warning, at least everyone was calling for your head, old man, rather than calling for your father’s.’
Despite all this unfolding as planned, Aubrey was a little hollow inside. ‘And how are Mother and Father? Really?’
‘To the public, they’re heartbroken and dismayed,’ George said, ‘but, really, they’re proud, if a little concerned. They said to tell you that.’
‘You’ve seen them?’
‘Caroline wouldn’t let us talk to anyone before we spoke to your parents – not even the Directorate. Once we left you in Stalsfrieden, she drove us like a Fury through Gallia, picking up Sophie’s parents along the way, before she commandeered a sloop to get us to Trinovant. You would have loved to see the way she stood up to any official who tried to stop us.’
‘Oh yes,’ he said faintly.
‘I have to tell you, old man, that your mother was shocked by your plan. She thought it was outrageous.’
‘I agree with her,’ Aubrey said. ‘It was outrageous. It needed to be outrageous.’
‘I think it took your father about half a minute to realise that. He said you were extremely clever.’
‘He did?’
‘Brave and clever, he said, while he dried your mother’s tears with his coat sleeve. Then she said you were too noble for your own good.’
His mother had actually cried? Aubrey grimaced. He hadn’t meant to distress his parents this much. His mother was usually extremely pragmatic and he’d been certain she’d see how necessary his plan was.
These are distressing times , he thought. Maybe for mothers more than most.
He became aware of the scrutiny from Hugo and Madame Zelinka. Steadfastly, he kept his gaze on a startled-looking ocelot on the wall just above George’s head. ‘You said that you were able to find Sophie’s parents?’
‘Friendly people, overjoyed to see her and her brother. And more than happy to leave Gallia for Albion.’
‘Gallia is in a poor way,’ Madame Zelinka said. ‘Morale is low, the government is fighting within its own ranks.’
‘Sophie’s brother helped convince them that leaving Gallia would be sensible, at least in the short term,’ George said. ‘After he’d explained what a fool he’d been, of course.’
Aubrey had been wondering how the reconciliation would go between Théo Delroy and his parents. While Aubrey was only pretending to be a traitor, Théo had actually enlisted in the Holmland army.
‘The Directorate was more than happy to see Professor Delroy,’ George said. ‘Apparently he has news about Holmland financial dealings that may be useful in our war effort.’
‘Baron von Grolman’s machinations, I hope,’ Aubrey added.
‘I’d say so. Somehow I don’t think that the secret buying into Albion businesses that he’s been doing over the last few years is going to come to much after Professor Delroy, the Directorate and the Exchequer finish their investigations.’
Aubrey’s head was awhirl. So much information after being deprived of it for so long was like putting a rich meal in front of a starving man. ‘What news of the war? Are we winning?’
‘It’s
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