The Courtship of Julian St. Albans (31 page)

Alex managed not to rise to the bait. “I’m
sure my siblings have filled you in, Flora’s been keeping very close watch on
the gossip, and Fauna’s been helping with wardrobe and gifts.”

“And now I want to hear it from you,”
she said. “Oh, thank you,” she added, as a waiter brought the first
part of their meal, croissants in a basket and a plate with fresh fruit and
soft cheese arranged together.

Alex dug in shamelessly, hungry now from his
delayed meal. “I think things are going very well, and Julian isn’t much
interested in what’s fashionable to wear, think or do, as long as the person
he’s with is trying to make him happy,” said Alex. “Therefore, I will
continue to make the final decisions on what I wear for, give to and do with him.”

“And yet here you are
in lovely sky blue,” said his mother.

“That’s because you do care what I wear,
and I wanted to please you, Mother,” said Alex, wishing it didn’t sound
quite as snarky as it came out.

Not that his mother would be
fooled if he’d been sweet as syrup.

“Be that as it may,” she said,
“I’ll be helping you with the final gift for the choosing dinner.”
She took delicate bites of her food, as if berating Alex’s manners with each
one.

“He might have a Masquerade.” Alex
took a nice big bite of his croissant, smeared with cheese and a smashed fig.

She looked surprised at the suggestion.
“That would change things,” she said thoughtfully. “Still,
you’ll need at least one more gift. What have you given him so far,
again?”

Alex finished chewing and sighed, taking a sip
of his coffee. “We bought a charmed pin and cufflinks for bringing love to
the heartbroken for the first gift,” he said, “Julian wore those to
our tea, and I gave him a potion of Heart’s Ease and some fairy cakes for that.
Then I found some small paintings that he’s got in his hallway at home now, and
last night I gave him a window box of magical plants with green thumb
charms.”

“You gave him plants?” she said
incredulously. She took a big sip of her champagne, which amused Alex greatly.
“Potted plants.”

“Potted plants,” agreed Alex.
“Common ones, too, fairy flowers and ward-thistles and lucky clover.”

She looked as though she
might faint.

Alex hadn’t anticipated this possible side
effect of his gift choice, but he was rather enjoying it. If he had to endure
his mother’s ridiculous dramatics, at least it was in public where she would
never descend into full histrionics. “He liked them very much,” added
Alex, after another big bite of his breakfast.

She fanned herself, then took another big sip
of champagne, nearly emptying her glass. A waiter appeared to swap it out for a
fresh one, and refill their tea and coffee as well, and when he vanished
another came with their hot food in the form of small, delicious-looking
quiches. There weren’t nearly enough of them, but he knew his Guardians would
be happy to feed him up when they got home.

“Thank you,” he said to the waiter,
taking a curious sip of his own champagne. It was, expectedly, very good
quality, and tickled his nose pleasantly, but he didn’t want to drink too much
on an empty stomach.

He ate one of the warm quiches, which were just
one big bite or two small ones, defiantly choosing the former option. His
mother was just sitting up to disapprove when someone approached the table that
put James and Jacques on full alert.

“Benedict, how surprising to see you in
properly fashionable attire,” said Willoughby, standing a pace back from
the table in deference to the scowling Guardians. “And who is this lovely
young lady, one of your sisters?”

Alex just barely managed not to roll his eyes
when his mother giggled and put out a hand. “Lady Philomena Benedict, his
mother,” she said.

Willoughby stepped forward
to kiss her hand politely. “Charmed.”

“Mother and I were discussing the
Courtship, of course,” said Alex. “How are you faring with your
scheduling difficulties?” One of the things that Alex had found out during
his gossip session with Flora was that Willoughby really was inundated with
relatives, all of whom wanted a piece of his time and to be seen supporting the
Courtship. Ironically, they were constantly interfering with his schedule,
which everyone felt was hurting the man’s chances at making it another round,
despite his early favourable position.

“Julian is very kind about it. I’m here now
with my cousins,” replied Willoughby, gesturing to a table in the middle
that was overflowing with laughter and fashionable people, half a dozen at
least having the same champagne brunch as most of the people present, though
theirs had a bit more variety due to the size of their party. “They were
meant to leave yesterday, but then Mina wanted to see the symphony tonight, and
so they’ve delayed their departure… Again.”

Alex felt a stab of sympathy for the man,
glancing over at his mother. “Well, hopefully they’ve at least had some
good advice for you.”

“They’ve all had advice, anyway,”
said Willoughby, charmingly wry with just the sort of ‘we’re all in it
together’ charm that Alex had never mastered at school or since. “I won’t
intrude any further, but it seemed rude not to stop by.”

“And size up the competition,” said
Alex, but he was smiling as he said it. “I’ll be seeing you soon enough,
anyway.”

“Very soon,” said Willoughby, and
something about the way he said it made the hairs stand up on Alex’s neck.
Unfortunately, it was too loud and crowded with magic in the restaurant for
Alex to hear much of anything and be sure it was coming from Willoughby,
especially once the man rejoined his family.

“Well, he was quite charming,” said
Mother. “One of the other top contenders, as I recall, too.”

“Yes, the one who isn’t dead,” said
Alex, heartily tired of the entire conversation. “One of the reasons I’m
under the protection of the Guardians, as you recall.”

“Oh, don’t be so
dramatic,” she said, nibbling at her food.

Alex snorted. “Yes, Mother,” he
replied, not at all repentant about the snark in his tone this time. He also
shamelessly ate about two-thirds of the little quiches, then took the last
croissant as well. If she wanted more, she could always order it.

“You do have an enviable metabolism,”
she said instead, sipping her tea and apparently content with a bit of fruit
and bread, for the most part, though she did claim a few of the quiches.

Alex chuckled. “Magic burns
calories,” he said, just to watch her wince. His brothers and sisters had
grown used to his magical talents, but his mother never quite warmed to the
idea of her baby boy as a common working mage.

That actually gave him a few minutes of blessed
quiet while they both ate, his mother going through two more glasses of
champagne with the rest of her food, and Alex refusing a refill, instead
concentrating on coffee and water. Once their dishes were taken and they were
both left just with their drinks, Alex smiled at his mother with what he hoped
looked sincere.

“Did you have a suggestion for my next
gift, Mother?” he asked. “I can’t stay out all afternoon shopping,
I’m supposed to be resting my leg.”

His mother pouted, but she seemed to have
realised already that she’d gotten about as much cooperation as she was going
to get out of her black sheep son. “I thought you should get him something
romantic,” she said. “Saveur might do something custom for you,
especially if you mention it’s for the Courtship.”

“I’m sure he’s been inundated with
sweets,” said Alex, though the idea had some merit. He knew Julian liked
warm things, and he remembered the cider on the sideboard, probably made from
estate-grown apples. “Although, maybe something from the Benedict
estate… What’s been exceptional the past few years?”

“Oh, the pears are all that’s in season
now, but they are exquisite,” she replied. “You could have Victor
send some to the chocolatier to make you something special?”

Alex chuckled. “Yes, all right, I’ll
arrange it,” he said, texting Victor a request to load Jones up with some
pears on Monday. He was pleased when Victor texted back a few other
suggestions, and Alex agreed to all of them. A small variety of House Benedict
sweets would be just the thing to follow up Jacques’ Opera cake. “Thank
you, Mother,” he said, and this time he really meant it.

She preened, and paid the check while someone
sent for the coats. “I’m going to stay downtown shopping, I’ll have
Bradford drop me off at the couturier and take you home, I need a few new
things now that it’s growing cold.”

“You always keep to the height of
fashion,” said Alex, his Mother on one arm and cane in the other hand as
they made their way back out of the restaurant. It was a bit absurd, but he
felt better buttoned up in his coat, most of the awful blue suit hidden under
warm black cashmere.

“And you always ignore
it,” she replied, but it was almost bantering.

They went through the dance with the Guardians
and the car, and then they were off and there was just the usual goodbyes to
endure before she left them to it. Bradford left the partition up as they drove
back to Alex’s flat, which was a relief to both of them, Alex was sure.

“So, that’s your
mother,” said James.

Alex laughed. “Yes,
that is my mother.”

Jacques had a look of faint disbelief on his
face, as though he wasn’t quite sure she’d been real, but he laughed with them
when James said, “Well, I can see where you got your flair for the
dramatic.”

CHAPTER
24

In Which More Clues are Found and Chocolate is Consumed

Alex was very happy to be back home and back in
his pyjamas, choosing a pair in black silk to help blot out all the awful blue.
He even put away all his accessories, the still-pristine cravat hung up to get
the wrinkles out and the ridiculous yellow diamonds away in his jewel-safe. He flopped
onto the sofa with a sigh. “You guys are wonderful, I can’t believe you
didn’t laugh at that suit.”

“It’s very
fashionable,” said James, face mostly straight.

“The blue really brings out your
eyes,” said Jacques, cracking up at the end and taking James with him.

“Ah, you were just saving it for when we
were alone. I see now,” said Alex. “I suppose this means you don’t
want your own share of Benedict pears, fresh herbs and cheeses to cook
with?”

Jacques sat up and looked
eager. “Really?”

Alex grinned, “Yes, really, I told Victor
you were a bit of a gourmet and he’s sending over a whole box of stuff from the
estate.”

“Did you get ahold of
anyone at Saveur?” asked James curiously.

“I didn’t yet, I thought I’d call tomorrow
once we had the stuff. The head chef or whoever isn’t likely to be in on
Sunday.” Alex lay himself out over the sofa, feeling worn thin from his
mother’s visit.

Jacques got up and went into the kitchen.
“You need more food,” he said, “and I want drinking chocolate to
make up for having to deal with that crowd.”

“What was up with Willoughby,
anyway?” asked Alex. “Was he really harmless?”

“Seemed like it,” said James.
“He didn’t try to plant anything on or take anything from your mother,
anyway.”

“He was sizing us up, though, wondering if
I was going to let her take over my Courtship and if that would be good or bad
for him,” said Alex wryly. Then he called out to Jacques, “Thank you
for whatever you’re doing in there!”

Jacques laughed. “You’re welcome, I’m
making you a bacon sandwich and we’re going to have cake and chocolate and be
decadent.”

Alex was completely fine with that plan, though
he did find a blanket to snuggle under. “More gin, or something
else?”

James grinned. “More
gun cleaning, I only got one of them done.”

“You promised to do mine, too,” said
Jacques, coming back out to hand the weapons in question over. “You did
all the knives, though, right?”

“Everything but the guns, you know I like
to save them for last.” James took them and pulled out the cleaning kit
he’d hidden under the table, unrolling it in a practiced motion.

For a moment they really did seem more like
lovers than partners, their closeness and mingled magics giving Alex a twinge
of envy he wasn’t used to having. He wouldn’t have the same sort of partner in
Julian, but he’d have something else, someone to support and care for him while
he protected and supported them right back.

Which, he supposed, was an awful like what
James and Jacques had, after all.

Just with more kissing.

~ ~ ~

The next morning, Jones arrived with a trunk
full of the bounty of the Benedict lands, pears and apples and some late
berries, honey and cheese and herbs, vegetables and even some things that were
already made like preserves and canned summer peaches. “Mr. Benedict
seemed to feel your interest in the family needed ample rewarding,” said
Jones dryly, setting a fourth wooden crate on the now-f kitchen table.

Alex chuckled, watching Jacques poke through
the boxes with absolute delight. “I do feel rewarded, though I’m not sure
what to do with this,” he said, holding up a jar containing an
irritated-looking butterfly fairy.

It made a face at him and
sulked.

“I don’t know that it would do well here
in the city,” said James. “Perhaps if you took it out to the St.
Albans estate, it would enjoy Julian’s fairy flowers?”

“Oh, I bet so,” said Alex. He
whistled a little tune to get the fairy’s attention. “I know where there’s
a window-box with fairy flowers, are you interested?”

The fairy looked skeptical,
then nodded.

Alex nodded back. “I’ll make the
arrangements, but it might be a day or two, how can I make you more
comfortable?”

It huffed and sulked, then poked at the walls
of the jar, which was rather close quarters even for the small creature.

“Ah, yes, I’ll see what I can do. Milk and
honey as well, I presume?” he asked politely. Butterfly fairies didn’t
make bargains the way the more complex fae did, but they were known to bring
good or bad luck to a household, depending on their treatment.

It perked up at that, and Alex grinned.
“Will do,” he promised, setting the jar on the counter. “You
guys figure out what to do with all this, I’m going to go see if I still have
that butterfly cage.”

“I’ve never seen one like this, looking
like a small person,” said Jones, leaning down to peer in the jar.

“Alex’s wards force it to abandon its
glamour and show its true form,” James explained as Alex wandered to his
work room. Alex had almost just left the thing outside to fend for itself, but
he had a feeling the big city wasn’t all the fairy might hope for and he’d have
felt guilty if it died. He texted Julian, then unlocked his work room and
slipped inside, closing the door after him for a moment of peace and quiet.

The charmed brass butterfly cage was right
where Alex remembered it, and he took down the last pot of fairy flowers he’d
meant to use in a spell and put them in the cage with a bit of water. Then he
sat down in his reading chair and just breathed in the solitude for a short bit
of meditation, grounding himself and trying to let go of all the tension that
was still coiling through him from his mother’s visit. He hated relying on the
family for anything, and he was starting to feel like each day pushed him
further into their debt. He let that go as much as he could, and he was feeling
on a more even keel by the time he limped back out, glad his door was merely
spell-locked so he didn’t have to fumble with keys, cane and cage.

They’d managed to find places for most of the
food and Jacques was making them a little treat of glazed pears to go with
their tea, plus cheese and bread from the estate. The little fairy had a
mint-leaf coated in honey in its jar now, and it lit up when it saw the flowers
in the cage.

“All right, in you go, and if you try to
fly away I’ll let the wards push you out into the city,” said Alex. He
opened the cage door, then the jar, and was relieved when the fairy flew from
one to the other in as straight a line as any butterfly might manage. Alex
closed the door, and smiled softly to see the fairy settled happily in the
plant, smiling as it nibbled at its sweet treat.

“If we could bring another one, it might
be happy just like that,” commented Jones. “I think it’d get lonely
by itself, though.”

Alex chuckled, sitting and accepting a cup of
tea from James with thanks. “I’m not sure I could keep the plant alive
that long, though I suppose I could make another of those green thumb charms. I
actually got this one for ingredients, though, it would need to be properly
re-potted and whatnot.”

“You can always offer,” said Jacques.
He was just serving up four dishes of the pears, and Alex busied himself
getting some bread and cheese to keep from watching like a hungry dog after
bacon.

Jacques took pity and gave Alex the first
serving anyway, and Alex laughed. “Not fooling anyone, I guess,” he
said, spooning up a bit of soft pear in spiced caramel sauce. He blew on it to
cool the sugar, and then took a little taste when he couldn’t resist another
second. “Oh, my,” he said, breathing in through his mouth to cool the
delicious sweet just a little more. “You are a god among men,
Jacques.”

They all laughed, and after a bit more
judicious cooling there were compliments all around. Alex took a moment to make
up a saucer containing milk, more honey, and a little slice of the sweet-glazed
pear and put it in the cage for the fairy, who was curled up looking almost
drunk on sugar already. It giggled and fluttered down to perch on the edge of
the saucer and slurp at the cool milk, wings gently opening and closing.

“I wonder if I should keep you,” said
Alex softly, but the fairy was too busy drinking to respond.

Alex went back to his treat, and they left soon
after, feeling properly fortified for his morning PT. There was a small box of
food in the trunk, including a tiny cooler of soft cheese, all ready to go to
Saveur and their afternoon appointment with the chef. Alex had called earlier,
and been given every assurance that his custom was most welcome indeed.

“It’s weird, being back to using my posh
privilege to get my way instead of just annoying people until they give
in,” said Alex, idly toying with his cane.

James laughed. “Now you have to find other
excuses to annoy people,” he teased, though he kept his eyes on the
outside of the car. It had been quiet for too many days, and they were all
starting to get paranoid about the next attack.

Physical therapy went as it always did,
painfully and exhausting both physical and magical resources, with a
terrible-tasting potion at the end washed down by vending-machine tea that
wasn’t actually all that much better. The one good thing was that the ache
today felt more muscular than injury-related, and the doctor assured him that
he would be back to full form in another week, as long as he didn’t strain
anything.

“All right, where do we want lunch?”
asked Alex, feeling a bit pathetic as he curled up in the back of the car.

“Didn’t you promise to meet Lapointe and
Smedley to talk about the case?” asked Jacques pointedly.

Alex sighed. “Yes, all
right. Onward to the Agency, Jones!”

“You’re tired today, more than
usual,” said James, giving him a worried look.

“Mother is a very draining
experience,” said Alex with a wry chuckle. “It always takes me a bit
to remind myself that the person in life I need to not disappoint is myself,
and I happen to be quite fond of me just as I am.”

“All that doubt is hard
on the system,” said Jacques quietly.

Somehow, Alex knew that he was speaking from
experience, and that made it easier to respond with a smile. “And now
you’ve got a life partner and a very noble purpose, and at least a few friends
outside of the Temple circle.”

“At least one,”
said Jacques with a shy smile.

“Oi, at least
two!” protested Jones.

This time the laughter really did lift Alex’s
spirits, and he even managed a smile for the waitress when they made it into
the diner with Lapointe and Smedley in tow.

“We were gonna go visit Geoff after
this,” said Lapointe. “He’s at home on bed rest for a few more days,
recovering from blood loss and magic exhaustion.”

“I think we can all fit in the back of the
car,” said Alex. “But I’ve got an appointment at Saveur at two, so
we’ll have to eat fast and talk about the case on the way.”

“Why do you have an appointment with the
city’s poshest chocolatier?” asked Lapointe.

Alex chuckled. “Why else? Courtship. Why,
did you want to come along and get some free samples, Murielle?”

“Well…” Her grin rather gave her
away, and the boys all laughed. “If it’s not too much trouble.”

“Easier to drag you along than not,”
said Jones, “Otherwise I’ll have to drop them off, bring you back here,
then go back for them and hope I don’t get caught in traffic.”

“Does this mean I’m now being roped into
chocolate-tasting?” asked Smedley, totally failing to sound put-upon.

“You’ll survive somehow,” said Alex.
Their waitress came and got their orders, which caused a flurry of embarrassed
looking at menus. Alex’s was easy since he got the same couple of things every
time, and he ordered while the rest of them hastily decided on food.

“Coffee all around, I presume?” asked
the waitress, scribbling a few more details on her pad.

“Yes, please,”
said Jones, giving her a shy smile.

She actually smiled back this time, then
chuckled and said to Alex, “I saw you in the paper, doing that fancy
Courtship thing for that lad.”

“I am Courting Julian St. Albans,
yes,” said Alex, not sure where this was going.

“So, you’re more one for the boys,
then?” she asked, sounding a bit resigned.

Alex nodded, relieved. “I’m afraid so, but
I promise it won’t change my tips.”

She laughed. “Well, it’s good to know it
wasn’t just me, anyway.” She left, and they all gave Alex good-natured
crap until she and the coffee returned.

“I don’t suppose this means I can get your
number now?” asked Jones, while she poured coffee all around the table and
gave them an extra pitcher of milk.

She chuckled. “Play your cards right,
maybe,” she said, giving him a wink and looking much cheered as she
sauntered off.

They talked about the case and Courtship while
they ate, but mostly concentrated on getting food into themselves so they’s
have time to visit Geoff before Saveur. “Though, actually, maybe we ought
to go after,” said Lapointe, after having her last bite of sandwich.