in more ways than one.’ He gave a humourless laugh. ‘Could be there’s a whole litter of mini-Morgans we don’t know about.’
‘Still . . . he’s gotta find out about her someday. I mean, if the coven takes Rose in, people’ll want to know why.’
‘We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. I’ll keep searching for her, of course. I’ll keep asking questions. But for now, I’m afraid it looks as if we’ve hit a dead end.’
Chapter 7
Peggy had offered to drive Glory and Patrick to the airport. Glory said that she’d prefer to go on her own. It was true she’d prefer not to go with Peggy, but she had no wish to bring her dad along either. He wasn’t good in crowds, or noisy and unfamiliar places.
Glory almost regretted refusing the lift as she battled across London on public transport with her bags. The airport was thronged and echoing; wherever she looked, inquisitorial guards were on patrol. She had an irrational fear somebody would pinch her passport, and she grew hot and harassed working out which signs to follow and where to go.
She caught sight of Lucas after checking-in. They were supposed to be strangers, as part of their cover, but his family were with him and Glory would have kept out of his way in any case. She retreated behind an information desk to observe. The elegant blonde must be his stepmother, talking to the stepsister with the stupid name. The girl’s face looked stupid too. Lucas was standing next to his father.
Glory had seen Stearne Senior once before, when he’d stormed into the basement where Lucas was held captive. Her memory of him was confused by the other images of that night. Now she could really see how alike he and Lucas were. Tall, imposing, assured. Ashton Stearne could be flipping burgers in a fast-food joint, or scrubbing the airport floor, and he’d still look a High Inquisitor to the bone.
He put his arm round his son. They were posing for a photograph taken by the blonde. The girl threw back her glossy hair with the practised ease of someone in a shampoo commercial. Lucas said something, and they all laughed. There were other families all around them, saying other goodbyes, but the Stearnes stood out from the rest. So attractive and prosperous, so absolutely sure of their place in the world. Even Glory was dazzled. She screwed up her face.
‘Glory!’
Now it was her turn to be looked at. Even the Stearnes paused. ‘Glory!’ called Troy Morgan again, striding towards her. His breadth and height made it easy for him to pick her up from the floor, crush her against his chest and whirl her round.
‘How – what –’ She was pink and breathless with surprise. Troy was never demonstrative, let alone theatrical.
‘You didn’t think I’d let you go without a proper goodbye, did you?’ he said, finally setting her down. He glanced towards the Stearnes, and straightened out his suit in a satisfied sort of way.
Glory laughed. ‘So where’s me red carpet and the brass band?’
‘I’m saving them for when you get back. Got everything you need?’
‘Should do.’ She felt suddenly shy. ‘I hope things go OK for you while I’m gone.’
‘Stay lucky, Gloriana Starling.’ Troy touched her, lightly, on the cheek. He glanced again towards the Stearnes. ‘Remember who you are.’
From near the airport security area, Lucas watched as Troy Morgan swept Glory up into an embrace. There was a lot of laughter.
Ashton frowned. ‘An unfortunate association.’
‘Wait, that’ s the coven girl?’ Philomena stared at the hooped earrings, the low-cut red top, the bottle-blonde hair. She sniggered. ‘Chavtastic.’
‘Enough of that,’ said Ashton sharply. ‘Our family, and indeed the country at large, owes that young woman a great deal.’
Marisa gave a little cough. ‘Darling, it’s time Lucas went through security. We mustn’t delay him any longer.’ She took Lucas’s hands in hers, before daintily swooping in for a farewell kiss.
‘Still . . . he’s gotta find out about her someday. I mean, if the coven takes Rose in, people’ll want to know why.’
‘We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. I’ll keep searching for her, of course. I’ll keep asking questions. But for now, I’m afraid it looks as if we’ve hit a dead end.’
Chapter 7
Peggy had offered to drive Glory and Patrick to the airport. Glory said that she’d prefer to go on her own. It was true she’d prefer not to go with Peggy, but she had no wish to bring her dad along either. He wasn’t good in crowds, or noisy and unfamiliar places.
Glory almost regretted refusing the lift as she battled across London on public transport with her bags. The airport was thronged and echoing; wherever she looked, inquisitorial guards were on patrol. She had an irrational fear somebody would pinch her passport, and she grew hot and harassed working out which signs to follow and where to go.
She caught sight of Lucas after checking-in. They were supposed to be strangers, as part of their cover, but his family were with him and Glory would have kept out of his way in any case. She retreated behind an information desk to observe. The elegant blonde must be his stepmother, talking to the stepsister with the stupid name. The girl’s face looked stupid too. Lucas was standing next to his father.
Glory had seen Stearne Senior once before, when he’d stormed into the basement where Lucas was held captive. Her memory of him was confused by the other images of that night. Now she could really see how alike he and Lucas were. Tall, imposing, assured. Ashton Stearne could be flipping burgers in a fast-food joint, or scrubbing the airport floor, and he’d still look a High Inquisitor to the bone.
He put his arm round his son. They were posing for a photograph taken by the blonde. The girl threw back her glossy hair with the practised ease of someone in a shampoo commercial. Lucas said something, and they all laughed. There were other families all around them, saying other goodbyes, but the Stearnes stood out from the rest. So attractive and prosperous, so absolutely sure of their place in the world. Even Glory was dazzled. She screwed up her face.
‘Glory!’
Now it was her turn to be looked at. Even the Stearnes paused. ‘Glory!’ called Troy Morgan again, striding towards her. His breadth and height made it easy for him to pick her up from the floor, crush her against his chest and whirl her round.
‘How – what –’ She was pink and breathless with surprise. Troy was never demonstrative, let alone theatrical.
‘You didn’t think I’d let you go without a proper goodbye, did you?’ he said, finally setting her down. He glanced towards the Stearnes, and straightened out his suit in a satisfied sort of way.
Glory laughed. ‘So where’s me red carpet and the brass band?’
‘I’m saving them for when you get back. Got everything you need?’
‘Should do.’ She felt suddenly shy. ‘I hope things go OK for you while I’m gone.’
‘Stay lucky, Gloriana Starling.’ Troy touched her, lightly, on the cheek. He glanced again towards the Stearnes. ‘Remember who you are.’
From near the airport security area, Lucas watched as Troy Morgan swept Glory up into an embrace. There was a lot of laughter.
Ashton frowned. ‘An unfortunate association.’
‘Wait, that’ s the coven girl?’ Philomena stared at the hooped earrings, the low-cut red top, the bottle-blonde hair. She sniggered. ‘Chavtastic.’
‘Enough of that,’ said Ashton sharply. ‘Our family, and indeed the country at large, owes that young woman a great deal.’
Marisa gave a little cough. ‘Darling, it’s time Lucas went through security. We mustn’t delay him any longer.’ She took Lucas’s hands in hers, before daintily swooping in for a farewell kiss.
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