LESSON 6
SEDUCTION

At the end of the morning’s festivities, Mr Devere and I were deposited in a carriage piled high with our luggage, and sent on our merry way to our honeymoon in France.

‘And that’s all there is to it.’ Devere turned to me in pleasant spirits. ‘Now you are stuck with me for worse or better.’ He grinned, nearing to kiss me, longer and deeper than he ever had before.

I was enjoying the experience immensely when I was suddenly swept back to Hartsford Park, where I saw myself knee deep in water as I grabbed to save my bonnet from being swept away by the wind. She is the one, he’d thought at the time, recalling Lady Charlotte’s prophecy. At home in the wilds, she’ll have the look of a wood nymph about her.

The pleasure I felt in my own body urged me to withdraw from his thoughts. His hand had come to rest upon my left breast and it tingled in anticipation of a closer acquaintance with him. I was surprised when Mr Devere retreated first.

‘Whoa.’ He held his head and laughed. ‘Your kiss evokes euphoria.’ I thought him joking until he closed his eyes to regain his equilibrium. Still, he didn’t seem discomfited, but, rather, in high spirits.

It occurred to me that perhaps probing someone’s mind at such close range might be draining. I didn’t know, as I’d never been that close to someone before. Or perhaps it was just the high psychic energy of my being sending his being into overload? And then again, perhaps he’d just had too much to drink? ‘Are you all right?’

‘I shall live,’ he assured me with a beaming grin. ‘But if that’s what a kiss will do to me, well…heaven help me.’ He chuckled, as did I when I caught his meaning.

To distract me from the heat of the blush rising in my face, I decided I’d best voice something that was haunting me. ‘I need to see my father.’

‘What…before we leave London?’ Mr Devere seemed surprised by my request.

‘I have to know who those men were,’ I told him honestly.

‘Why?’ he inquired, genuinely interested.

‘Because I believe they had something to do with Lord Hereford’s murder.’ My reason confused him.

‘But Lord Hereford died of natural causes,’ Devere said, stating the official truth of the matter.

‘No he didn’t.’ I was adamant. ‘And if my father had something to do—’

‘Wait one moment.’ Devere tried to calm me down. ‘How do you know those men had something to do with Lord Hereford’s death?’

‘Because they threatened him with death if he persisted with his plan of marriage…they wanted me to marry you.’ My eyes came to settle on his face, which was absorbed in thought.

‘As did your father.’ Mr Devere followed my line of thought. ‘You seriously think Lord Suffolk hired men to threaten Lord Hereford?’

‘I don’t know what to think, and that is why I need to see my father.’ I awaited his approval.

‘You know that we are expected for dinner with the rest of the wedding party. We wouldn’t want to offend our host, Lord Rochester—’

‘I never spend long in Father’s presence, so this shan’t take long, I assure you.’

‘Very well,’ and he rang the bell to alert the driver to a detour.

Devere insisted that I let him accompany me to see Lord Suffolk.

‘My father is hardly going to harm me when he knows you await me in a carriage downstairs.’ I preferred him to stay put.

‘Are you going to use your talents to get the information you desire?’ Devere whispered before I stepped out of the carriage.

‘My father has perfected a way to block me out when he needs to.’ The fact made me smile as his method was childish, but effective. ‘I’m hoping he might just tell me the truth for a change.’

I knew I was being seriously optimistic, but I scaled the stairs full of purpose nonetheless. Needless to say my father was surprised to see me.

‘Shouldn’t you be halfway to France by now?’ He motioned me to take the seat opposite, but when I declined, he stood. ‘Is there a problem?’

‘I saw something that I hope is not as malign as it appeared to be.’

‘Are we talking about the real world, or one of your visions?’ Father was looking uncomfortable already.

‘A little of both, I’m afraid.’

I saw his light-body dull, but he did not become angry. Instead, he leant his arm on the mantelpiece and hung his head like a man fed up. ‘I cannot carry this any more, and I am weary of trying to hide the truth from you.’ He looked at me as if he feared something terrible: much the same look Lord Hamilton had given me the night before he’d been killed. ‘It is my fault that you are the way you are.’

Was he speaking about my pigheadedness? No. My father was referring to my psychic ability—surely he was not psychic himself? ‘How can you have been responsible for my talents?’

Father sat down in his chair, wearied by the memory. This time when he invited me to sit in the chair opposite, I obliged. ‘When I was told that your mother was from an ancient line of Elven princesses, naturally I took the information to be an old family myth of some kind. For the Elven bloodline can be traced back to the Albigensian Crusade. In the language of old Provence a female elf was an albi, and Albi was the name given to the main Cathar centre of resistance in Languedoc. It is said that many of these ancient bloodline of kings fled the bloody crusade the church was waging against the Cathars and settled in Scotland.’

That seemed to explain my mother’s dying words to me. No wonder my being committed to an asylum at the age of eight had affected her so adversely, for in all probability she felt responsible for my incarceration.

‘Nevertheless,’ Father continued, ‘I was in love with her and her father made it plain that if I was to marry her, then I had to join the ancient order that protected the royal bloodline of the family.’

‘What name does the order go by?’ I didn’t want that detail omitted.

‘By many different names,’ he grouched, not liking to be interrupted, and I decided to press the matter later. ‘Their members are to be found among the rich, famous and powerful who secretly oppose church rule. Being no fan of the church myself, I joined gladly. I went to their meetings, studied their doctrine and commenced my initiation phase…the first of which took place on my wedding night. Before I lay with your mother,’ his voice became very uneasy and it wasn’t that he was embarrassed, more frightened, ‘the men of the family performed a rite and then fed me a glowing liquid, which to this day I cannot identify. The next thing I knew, your mother was pregnant with you.’ He shrugged.

‘We didn’t spend all these centuries creating Miss Granville so that you could abscond with her.’ I remembered the claim of the gentlemen who had threatened Lord Hamilton and it sent shivers down my spine. I had been bred, after all. ‘What do they want with me?’

‘They only wish the bloodline to be sustained and prosper. I don’t know why. I quit the order soon after the drinking incident.’ Father was growing weary of the subject already. He hated the supernatural and now I was beginning to see why.

‘And how is Mr Devere involved in all this?’

Father shook his head. ‘I don’t know that he knows any more than you do. All I know is that when he made his proposal, I received a visit from some of your mother’s long-quiet brethren, who advised me to condone the marriage to Devere and condemn the proposal of Lord Hereford.’

‘They threatened Lord Hereford directly,’ I informed my father. ‘I even suspect they may have had him murdered.’

‘I wasn’t going to say I warned you,’ Father said gently, smiling at the fact that I was aware of my stalkers before he had confessed. He obviously didn’t think murder was beyond consideration. ‘You know that you’ll never prove it, Ashlee. You are an intelligent woman…so go travel, and live a long and happy life with your new husband.’

I looked at him, shocked. He’d never referred to me as intelligent before.

He knew why I was shocked. ‘Any impression I gave you to the contrary was just my own guilt speaking. I feared your power. I feared that your power would cause you pain and anguish, and it very often has. I made some bad decisions—’

‘And some good ones,’ I cut in, wanting to reassure him. ‘I love what I am, and I would not have it otherwise. You were not to know.’ I found myself hugging him and comforting him like a small child.

‘I never wanted any harm to befall you.’ He trembled as he spoke.

‘No harm has ever befallen me.’ I imposed on him lightly, rubbing his back to calm him. ‘If it did, I feel quite certain it would not be your fault.’ I held him at arm’s length, rather teary-eyed myself. ‘I am my own creation. You can admire me, but you cannot claim responsibility for my destiny. Only I have that privilege.’

This was the first time I ever saw my father truly happy. I felt a great weight had lifted from my shoulders as I left his house. The complexities of one relationship were resolved as I now moved into a whole new phase of my life.

Evening fell and I was still in a carriage, en route to join the rest of our wedding party for dinner and an overnight stay at Lord Rochester’s estate. My head rested on my husband’s shoulder, while I gazed at the late spring landscape of Kent as it rushed by.

Father had not told me the name of the order to which he’d belonged, as he knew I would seek them out. Still, the little he’d told me of the order led me to wonder.

‘Do you belong to any secret societies?’ I sat up to ask Devere.

‘Do those kind of brotherhoods still exist?’

His question seemed to answer mine. ‘So, what do you know about this ancient bloodline of Kings we both belong to?’

Devere appeared startled by my knowledge. ‘I never did get around to telling you about that. Did Lady Charlotte mention it?’ He didn’t want to accuse me outright.

I could have lied. Still, if I was going to make a go of my marriage, I felt the truth was best. ‘No. I read your mind that night at Hartsford Manor.’

‘So…that was the cause of your hasty departure that night?’ Devere smiled, but I couldn’t tell if he felt amused or violated. He folded his arms as he thought about the premise some more. ‘And have you been digging around in my head on a regular basis?’

‘No, only that once. Oh, and when you kissed me earlier…but that wasn’t purposeful on my behalf,’ I realised.

‘And what did you perceive from me then?’ he queried, unable to suppress his grin, as he felt sure he’d had sex on the brain.

‘I saw your memory of me in the stream at Hartsford Park,’ I told him honestly and he seemed surprised and rather relieved.

Devere recalled the moment. ‘The scene reminded me of something John Keats wrote.

I met a lady in the meads,

Full beautiful—a faery’s child.

Her hair was long, her foot was light,

And her eyes were wild.

I smiled at his romantic notion. ‘A very beautiful way to avoid my question.’

His amorous mood ebbed, no doubt due to my obvious lack of romance. ‘What do I know about my bloodline? Well, I know I’m descended from Robin Hood,’ he said cheerily. ‘He was Robert de Vere.’

‘And?’ I prompted and he shrugged.

‘My family have always been close to the Crown of England and France, and so have many families. The Cavandish family for example.’

‘My father was made to join a secret brotherhood if he wished to marry my mother, and yet you have not been approached by anyone?’ I thought this odd as my blood and talents were obviously prized by some.

‘I feel I have grown beyond need of a group of allies,’ he announced, obviously not taking me very seriously. ‘And besides, they don’t sound like a very nice organisation if they would threaten a dear fellow like Lord Hereford.’

I went quiet for a moment as I contemplated all I had been told.

‘May I ask you something?’ Devere took my hands in his to get my attention. ‘You said that you’d promised Lord Hereford that you wouldn’t invade his mind—’

‘On purpose,’ I added and gave a nod. ‘Yet he never assumed to be so intimate with me as you are, Mr Devere.’

‘Then perhaps you might enlighten me as to your father’s secret defence system, so that I have some means to defend myself?’

‘If you have a clear conscience then why should you need such a defence system…hmmm?’ I toyed with him.

‘But what if I wanted to surprise you? I should have precious little chance of ever doing that.’ He struck me as a man who would get great pleasure from giving such gifts.

‘I do like surprises,’ I confessed, mulling over if I should grant his request for information. He couldn’t use this means if he were sleeping, so if I ever really needed to extract information from him, I could. His lips gently pressed against my breastbone.

‘Please,’ he uttered, and sat upright to appeal for mercy with his big baby blues.

I reached up and played with a blond ringlet that was tucked behind his ear. It twirled around my finger and was smooth and pleasing to touch. ‘Very well, I will tell you.’

He turned his face into the palm of my hand and kissed it.

‘It’s childish,’ I admitted, ‘but it does work. Father just repeats over and over in his mind, “I’m not thinking about anything”, until I give up trying to get inside his head.’

Devere laughed. ‘Shall we give it a try?’ He moved in closer.

‘I’m game if you are.’ I kissed him and for a while I was immersed in the act, then, the next thing I knew I was looking down on myself, naked on a bed. I was being made love to, and I would have thought it was my own future sight or imagination, but then I realised I was experiencing the act from Devere’s point of view. It was strange and I pulled away.

Devere appeared in a daze again, as we gazed at each other in shock and awe.

‘It doesn’t work,’ we both concluded solemnly in unison, before bursting into laughter.

Although my wedding night was not all that a wedding night perhaps should be, it still turned out to be the best night of my life to date.

Until dawn, my dear Devere and I lay about on our bed talking, eating and getting intimately familiar with each other’s body. Although my monthly condition did not lend itself to marriage-night favours, that did not prevent my husband taking a very distinct interest in the rest of me. My breasts were a particular distraction for him, as he kept untying my chemise to admire and fondle them. The caresses of his hands and mouth were heaven to my senses, and something of a tease. Now I was the one cursing the bad timing of our wedding day, and yet Mr Devere made it plain that he was in no rush.

Something rather amazing that we did discover was that we both had the same birthmark, although in different places. It took the form of a small red cross: mine in between my shoulderblades and Devere’s in the middle of his chest.

It was hardly surprising that we slept away most of the carriage ride the next day, ate dinner with our hosts in Tunbridge, retired early and did the same thing all over again.

Upon arriving in Dover the next evening, after sleeping away the journey once again, Devere and I spent a third night wide awake. Had it not been for Nanny Beat, and Mr Devere’s faithful manservant, Mr Tibbs, dressing, feeding and packing us up, we would have missed the ferryboat to Calais.

I really enjoyed the passage across the Channel. The weather was fine and cool, and my husband and I were forced to be more sociable. Mind you, the couples we were with hadn’t been any more eager to socialise than we were. I couldn’t help but notice how well we all looked for our confinement, how content and happy. It was quite apparent that we had all made a good match and were very much in love.

The night we spent in the port of Calais was the evening Devere came to visit me while I bathed. He dismissed Nanny and stood gazing at me from the door.

‘What can I do for you, Mr Devere?’ I did not feel anywhere near as inhibited by my nakedness as I imagined I might be: the water was rather soapy, and due to Devere’s obsession with my breasts, I’d become quite accustomed to being half naked in his presence.

‘I’ve come to get you drunk, Mrs Devere, and to give you pleasure.’ When he approached I noticed he had two glasses and a bottle of Champagne. ‘When in France…’ he explained, as he knelt by the bath and placed the bottle and glasses aside on the floor.

‘That sounds wonderful, but I’ve told you, I don’t partake of impure substances.’

‘I’ll just move straight on to the pleasure then, shall I?’ He removed his shirt, tossed it aside and then kissed me gently.

Devere’s right hand caressed my breasts a moment and then diverted very directly to the one region of my body he’d yet to explore. The pleasure took me far away, not into Devere’s body but deep inside my own. I heard groans of pleasure, and was completely oblivious to the fact that they were emanating from me. Devere’s lips had left mine and were now enveloping my left breast, as his fingers continued to weave their magic between my legs. I’d never imagined that any feeling could be so overwhelming that I would lose myself entirely within. I have never been more in the moment, more content to be my own being; it was intensely delicious, intimate and empowering. When I thought I could stand the pleasure no more, my body rose and with a shuddering heave I collapsed into rapture.

I heard the sound of smashing glass close by, but even that could not draw my focus from within my being. I do confess that for several moments I could do little more than breathe and enjoy the revelation of liberation, relaxation and elation I was feeling.

Devere kissed my forehead and withdrew his arm from my bath. ‘Oh dear.’ He collapsed to a seat on the tiled floor, and gazed at the broken bottle and accompanying glasses shattered on the floor amid the bubbly liquid.

I sat up to view his distraction and was amused by it. ‘How did that happen?’

‘I’m not entirely sure…I spied it floating and then…’ He dropped his hands and spread his arms apart, wearing a delirious grin on his face. In fact, he appeared to be a little lightheaded. ‘Are you all right?’ I reached over and took his head between my hands, and kissed him with all the passion I could muster. ‘That was simply wonderful.’

‘I agree!’ He put a hand to the floor to push himself up to standing and he managed, albeit with a bit of a stagger.

‘Devere?’ I was concerned now, despite the grin on his face.

‘I’m good,’ he assured, squinting and then opening his eyes and glaring at the plant in the corner, ahead of squinting again.

I climbed from the bath and threw on my robe. ‘Tell me what is amiss with you?’ I carefully avoided the glass to get to his side.

‘That plant is glowing.’ He pointed to it.

I looked at the healthy specimen and saw that its light-body was very prominent. ‘Yes, it is,’ I confirmed, ‘but usually I would be the only one to notice.’ I walked toward the candlelight and away from Devere. ‘And what about me?’

‘Oh, my Lord.’ He shielded his eyes with one hand. ‘Colours! You look like an angel!’

He collapsed onto his knees, not out of reverence or awe but from lack of stability.

I rushed back to his side and knelt to address him. ‘I gather that this is not a normal byproduct of sexual relations?’ At this, Devere laughed and shook his head. ‘I’m so sorry,’ I said.

‘Don’t be sorry,’ he was quick to say. ‘I feel amazing…as if I’ve connected with something divine within myself that I never even knew was there.’

I frowned, bemused. ‘But it was you who pleasured me.’ I might have understood this transformation had it been the other way around…or mutual elation?

‘I admit I am baffled. Each time we’ve kissed I’ve felt an inkling of an awakening. I have had lovers in the past,’ he confessed a little shyly, ‘and I know how euphoric intimate relations can be.’

This came as no surprise to me. Judging from that little seduction, he knew exactly how to please a woman.

‘But this…’ He breathed deeply, so overcome that I feared he might pass out. ‘Wow! I feel like I’ve just been shot into the cosmos.’

I looked to the smashed bottle and glasses. ‘If I caused them to levitate—’

‘Well, I can assure you that I didn’t,’ Devere said with amusement.

I cocked an eyebrow to accept his point. ‘Then my psychic energy was stimulated by my arousal, and being so close to me, perhaps some of it transferred and was absorbed by you.’

‘Like a chemical chain reaction?’ Devere was beginning to see where I was coming from.

‘Yes, exactly.’

‘I can honestly say that I could feel energy emanating from you.’ He pulled me onto his lap. ‘It felt every bit as empowering as it obviously was.’

‘Not really what you bargained for when taking a wife, I suspect?’ It was scary to imagine how inheriting my talents in adulthood would affect a psychic novice; I suspected it could be a very adverse and overwhelming experience indeed. ‘I’ll understand completely if this is just too weird for you.’

‘I love weird. I love you.’

I hugged him for the reassurance, thinking that any other man would have disowned me, or had me committed. ‘That is well, Mr Devere, for it seems I am falling in love with you too.’

We slept that night, and the next day Devere was like a child walking around in an entirely new world. During the carriage ride that marked the final leg of our journey to the Chateau de Vere, my travelling companion was wide-eyed and full of questions. His new talent of seeing etheric energy had not ebbed at all and he marvelled at everything he saw—and everyone! Whirling chakra centres, auric hues, light-bodies, and elemental beings: it was all incredibly fascinating for him. Subsequently, Devere was doubly excited about our liaison this night; I’d opened the door to another world and he was more than ready to step right into that new dimension.

It was wonderful to finally arrive at the chateau. The stately country manor had fallen out of the hands of the Devere family late last century. The place had been looted and gutted during the Revolution, and then fully restored after the fall of Napoleon. This was where Lady Charlotte had been basing herself before she’d been my governess and I could tell she’d had a hand in the refurbishment of the structure. The artworks were strong with hidden esoteric content, and the decoration of the chateau reflected the harmony and beauty of the Dowager Countess herself.

It was also a real blessing to be coming to a stop for a while and to have accommodation of our own. All the way here we’d been somebody’s guests by arrangement, but this night we dined only with our brothers and sisters and it was a very merry meal. Everyone was in such fine spirits that no one noticed that my husband was observing everything a little oddly, nor that he was in an especially expansive mood.

When dessert was polished off, Lord Devere posed a poignant question. ‘So, shall we adjourn to the drawing room?’ Everyone went silent and looked at someone else to make the decision. ‘Or are we all so weary from our journey that we are ready to retire at this unfashionably early hour?’

The ensuing laughter and garbled confessions of fatigue indicated a unanimous response to the latter suggestion.

Once it was agreed, Devere and I wasted no time in bidding all goodnight. We raced each other up the staircase and, at the top, he swept me up to carry me into our quarters. We encountered Nanny Beat in our boudoir, stoking up the fire. She was quick to rise, bid us goodnight and make an exit. She knew as well as I did that my monthly dilemma was over and that tonight I would lose my virtue.

‘I’m quite sure she’s psychic too,’ Devere uttered with good humour as he watched Nanny close the door behind her and he continued into the bedroom.

‘Just observant,’ I assured him.

Although the bed was turned down, Devere laid me on the lounge chair in front of the fire and then sat on the floor beside me. ‘Are you apprehensive?’

How could he ask after our previous passionate encounter? ‘I am far more concerned about how you will survive this union…for myself, I am determined.’ I lured him to a long and luscious kiss.

My breasts were bypassed altogether this night. His hand was already clearing a trail through my petticoats, up my inner thigh and straight to the site of my elation yesterday. His lips left mine, though I barely noticed until his mouth, and the kisses therefrom, replaced his fingers in the exploration of my most private places and his hands were thus at leisure to part his target wide. I died and went to heaven in that moment—that powerful place inside myself, deep and dark like an abyss, and yet full of cosmic promise and my own infinite possibilities. The pleasure in my body eventually drew me back to my conscious self; the physical sensation was so intense, but release was imminent.

Devere emerged from my skirts and slid himself between my open legs. We made eye contact and it was plain that he was off in his own little world too. I hoped that I would make this experience as pleasurable for him as he was making it for me.

Unlike the day before, Devere proceeded with painstaking care and by the time he was fully inside me, we both collapsed into rapture at once. The mirror over the fireplace shattered and various pictures and ornaments around the room came crashing to the floor.

I would have laughed if I hadn’t been so otherwise emotionally detained. ‘I can see we are going to have to nail down our bedroom furniture.’ I kissed Devere’s neck.

He chuckled, but as he’d yet to recoup his sensibilities he didn’t raise himself.

‘Are you still with me, Devere?’ I brushed the blond curls from his face, hoping to find his eyes.

‘Only just.’ He drew a deep breath, and attempted to stir himself from his euphoria.

‘Shall I help you over to the bed?’ I did hope that was not going to be the end of our fun and games this evening.

The suggestion made him smile. ‘How about I help you?’ He rose to meet the challenge and swept me up with him.

By the time the candles and the fire in our room were burning low, Devere was unconscious and I found myself alone and wide awake. I was lying beside him, admiring his beauty as he slept. His light-body was ablaze with activity, so clearly our physical relations had triggered some energetic reaction in him—the spinning vortexes of his subtle body whirled ever faster. My eyes became transfixed on his third eye area as the energy centre there pulsed silver and faded to indigo by the time the life force was absorbed by the coiling serpent of his kundalini. I wondered how he fared and a vision filled my eyes.

The imposing fellow who had confronted Lord Hamilton over his marriage to me was addressing me directly. Your personal power will only be realised upon her pleasure.

I sat up, startled from my concentration as I realised this was Devere’s memory. ‘He lied,’ I muttered under my breath, unable to believe it. Don’t be hasty, I warned myself, recalling how Lady Charlotte had advised me not to doubt my husband’s devotion to me. I relaxed onto the bed beside him, to regain my focus. Once I was calmer, the impression of the unknown gentleman returned.

Keep her safe, Devere, he instructed sternly. Learn about her, learn from her and keep me posted. If you can please this woman, you will become a very powerful man indeed. And, with any luck, you’ll have many, many adept offspring.

Tears were rolling down my face for I’d always considered that Devere’s love was too good to be true. How do you know this man? I queried his subconscious directly, and I perceived something then that I did not expect.

It was Lady Charlotte, just as I’d seen her in Devere’s memory that night at Hartsford Manor. Speaking to me from her quiet corner, the oracle had my undivided attention, even though I was vaguely aware that someone else had entered the room in which she sat. And to better prepare the way for this woman coming into your life, you might want to speak with this gentleman.

I turned and there he was. He had a little more hair and was minus a few pounds, but this was definitely the fellow who had threatened Lord Hamilton.

‘Not only did Devere lie to me about that man, but they have a long acquaintance!’

I had grabbed my treasure stone and summoned Albray to the boudoir, so I could pour out my woes to him.

‘What if Devere had a hand in killing Lord Hereford?’

We never established without a doubt that Lord Hereford was murdered, my knight suggested in a reasoned and calm tone.

‘Even Lady Charlotte seems to have had more of a hand in manipulating my destiny than I had otherwise imagined…can I trust no one?’

You can trust me, Albray stated consolingly, although I was not really listening.

I was furious when I thought about my intimate encounters with Mr Devere over the past few days. ‘Learn from me, protect me, please me…Oooooh!’

Do you want to wake him up? This was Albray’s way of suggesting that I turn my temper down.

I waved off his concern. ‘I think my energies have exhausted him.’ Which reminded me…‘Is there anything in this Star-Fire lore regarding my talents rubbing off on those close to me?’

Truly? Albray seemed intrigued but not entirely surprised. Devere has had an awakening?

I assumed Albray would know this, as I understood we were psychically linked. When I queried this with him I was informed that we were only telepathically linked when I was wearing my charm on my person, and for the past few days I’d placed the stone in the red book for safe cartage. ‘You sound as if you suspected our relationship might empower him.’

Not exactly, he said defensively. But there was a legend known to my order which claimed that the ambrosia of immortality, Amrita, was released from the reproductive glands of a Grail princess when she was awakened by her prince.

‘Devere is not my prince!’ I protested, growing angrier by the second.

Amrita then triggers a similar secretion in the prostate gland of the said prince .. . Albray ignored my dramatics…whereupon he is endowed with greater powers of awareness, perception and intuition. This awakening is known as the quickening.

‘You could have mentioned this before I married Devere! If he becomes adept enough, he might be able to read my mind. If my husband ever found out about my secret inheritance, my one chance at independence and true freedom would be thwarted!’ Not to mention what might happen if Hamilton’s treasure ended up in the wrong hands.

The ambrosia was supposedly to the mutual benefit of both parties, Albray added, hoping this information might ease my panic.

‘So this chemical reaction, Amrita, has enhanced my natural ability also?’ Albray nodded, and I considered that it might explain the floating furniture. I looked to the leather pouch on the table that contained my travel papers and, no sooner had I wished it, than they had flown into my possession. I gasped at the achievement.

Good Lord! Albray was impressed as well.

‘And nobody knows about this little development,’ I said, with a new confidence, slipping the leather binder into my hand. I smiled, chuffed.

You wish to depart, my lady? Albray knew my mind.

‘Yes…but Devere and his order will surely pursue me.’

I think we could lose him with a few days head start…a good sleeping spell ought to do the trick.

‘You know a sleeping spell?’ I was stunned. He didn’t seem the type for spells.

No, he confessed, but I can introduce you to a dead gypsy witch who does.

Chiara was an amazing spirit, full of information about all things mystical. Her price for acceding to my request was that she might ask a return favour of me once I made it to Italy, to which I agreed.

The sleeping spell should be easy enough for you to perform, she told me in her own tongue, mainly Italian. She was dressed as though she’d just come from washing the clothes and she kept wiping her hands on her apron.

‘How about a forget-me-altogether spell?’ I suggested an even better idea.

The jolly round woman laughed and said emphatically, You are a Grail princess! She became deadly serious. This boy…he never forgets you.

I didn’t like the sound of that prophecy, so I avoided seeking any further information on that score. ‘Did Albray tell you about my bloodline?’

There was no need. If Albray answered your request for protection and knowledge, then it must be so.

‘And you are sure this spell will work?’ It seemed so simple.

I know my craft, she assured me in a way that indicated I had not caused offence. Your ancestors are very powerful spirits. You shouldn’t be afraid to summon them to your aid. They will come, you will see.

‘What do you know of my ancestry, Chiara?’

Ah… she waved off the notion of pursuing that topic. Many, many things. But Albray is the historian .. . I just do spells.

I wrote Devere a letter as instructed, and placed a lock of his hair inside, as well as some thread from his clothes and a copy of my incantation. I sealed the envelope. ‘Sweet dreams, Mr Devere.’

Two days head start was the maximum time I could secure without risk of physically harming my subject. Although feeling betrayed, I could not bring myself to hate the man I’d grown so fond of, and I was sorry that his love was not as true as I felt mine was.

I gazed at my sleeping husband and wondered aloud. ‘How can it be that his treachery is not evident in his light-body?’

Because only conflict registers, Albray explained. If Mr Devere feels he has been doing the right thing, then he does not carry any guilt or remorse, and there is no dis-ease within him to cause blockages and shadows.

‘I see.’ It did make sense and it also made me angry. How little I must figure in his heart. His ego must be huge if he could believe he had done me no harm with his lies.

Holding the envelope above his sleeping body, I recited the spell Chiara had helped me develop to suit my intent.

Women of my blood from whence my essence flowed, lend me your charms, to create a deep repose.

This man I wish to sleep, I appeal you, make it so, until twice the moon does come and go.

Let him sleep deeply, dream sweetly, awake safely, and not miss me.

I repeated the spell twice more.

Chiara told you that a forget-me spell will not work. Albray had a chuckle at the addition I had made.

‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained,’ I justified, tucking the envelope under Devere’s pillow.

Fortunately, very few of my things had been unpacked yet. I only had three trunks, but I realised it might as well have been fifty trunks, with no servants to move them for me.

What about your new talent? Albray dismissed my complaints with a reminder.

I crept down the main staircase, my trunks piled one on top of another trailing me silently.

We could steal a carriage, Albray suggested.

‘These people are my friends. I’m not going to steal from them,’ I whispered.

‘Who are you talking to?’

I gasped when I saw a figure at the bottom of the steps. The trunks fell with a thud behind me, but I was quick to regain my focus and prevent them crashing down the stairs. It took a moment for my mind to register the voice and face—to my great relief it was Susan.

‘Susan, you scared me!’

‘Are you leaving, Ashlee?’ She sounded heartbroken, and a little perturbed by my floating luggage. ‘What has happened?’

‘It seems that intimate relations have a strengthening effect on my talents.’ I was frank and Susan was amused and then panicky.

‘Mr Devere hasn’t hurt you, has he? You both seemed so happy at dinner.’

‘No, not like that.’ Dinner suddenly seemed an eternity past. ‘My dear friend…I have to go, and I don’t have time to explain why. Please, just pretend this meeting never took place.’

‘When will I see you again?’ She grabbed hold of my hand to prevent my leaving. ‘Will you write?’

‘Under an alias perhaps. It could be our little secret. Can I trust you?’

‘Of course,’ Susan vowed in a whisper, ‘but why should you need an alias?’

I persuaded her to join me outside the front door and when my baggage caught up, I closed the doors behind us.

We were both startled to find a waiting carriage, and some of the house staff in attendance to load my trunks—which I lowered to the ground promptly. Nanny Beat was by the carriage door and was dressed for travelling.

‘Dear Nanny.’ I really appreciated her sentiment, but I quickly made my way to her side to decline. ‘I fear my journey will be perilous—’

‘All the more reason for me to come,’ she replied surely.

She was as strong as an ox and as stubborn as a mule, so there seemed little point in debating the issue.

‘Write and tell me everything,’ Susan said urgently, as I was hurried to my transport.

‘I will.’ I kissed her and hugged her close—the gods only knew when I’d be in the company of my dearest friend again. ‘I left a note for Devere that might enlighten you to a few of my worries.’ I climbed into the carriage after Nanny and the door was closed behind us. ‘Love life, be happy, stay healthy. Until we meet again.’

‘You have not left my sight, and I miss you already.’ Susan blew me a kiss as the carriage began to move off.

When I could no longer see her, I leant back in my seat and drew a deep breath. I was actually doing it, pursuing the great adventure I’d always dreamed of. I took hold of Nanny’s hand and smiled. I was so thankful to have her with me, and Albray, too, of course.

That wasn’t difficult now, was it? he commented from the empty seat opposing us.

I was at odds about the question—my heart was shattered by my failed romance, but also exulting to be on the run, free of everyone and everything that had ever held authority over me.