Escaping from whatever ball she was at had been easy the entire last week and she had been able to go forward six times already. She stayed a few days each time, soaking up everything Gloria taught her. The cute cottage she bought for Gloria was like a second home to her.
And since Owen was so caught up with Maria, missing their practice sessions and generally ignoring her, she didn’t feel the least bit guilty anymore for excluding him. She told herself that she didn’t miss him in the least either, as she snuck up the back stairway to the second floor.
The only downside to her double life was the sheer exhaustion of it. It was difficult to keep up with what day it was when she was living three or four days then coming back to only a few minutes after she left. She had to keep a little notebook, carefully ticking off what day it was and what time she was in. She had to fight off a yawn as she made her way to the portal room.
Gloria was always trying to get her to sleep more, but Ariana didn’t want to waste a second of her precious time with her amazing new family. Besides Gloria, Drummond, and Milo, she met ten more travelers who were delighted to hear her plans to set up a luxurious base for them.
Each one taught her their specialty spell and Ariana felt like she was constantly buzzing with new magic. It was probably the only thing keeping her standing, what with her busy schedule in her own time on top of her time hopping.
“Why aren’t you downstairs, missy?”
She whirled around and relaxed when she saw it was Owen standing at the far end of the hall, hands on hips and an accusatory look on his face.
“Why aren’t you?” she countered.
His face relaxed and he shrugged sheepishly. “I haven’t actually been down yet. I fell asleep.”
“Well, be on with you, then,” she said, waving him away.
She could not miss her chance. Gloria thought she was ready to learn the spell to travel to any time without having to rely on the portal. She promised to teach her the next time she came through and Ariana itched to know it. Her made-up portal spell made her feel sick and weak and though it had worked perfectly so far, she still didn’t trust it to continue to get her home on time. It would only take one slip to ruin everything.
“Why have you been leaving all the parties?” he demanded.
“What are you on about?” She knew she sounded nervous. It was clear he saw right through her. Still, he couldn’t know anything for sure. “I only came up to get…”
“Blah, blah. Save it for someone both blind and stupid. I can see you’re up to something. And your hands shake at supper. What’s up with that?”
It was because she was so tired, but how could she explain it? As far as he knew she did all the same things he did. Only lived one day at a time, not several all stuffed into one. She had to go on the defensive, try to trick him.
“Oh, now you notice every little thing about me? I thought you only had eyes for Maria?”
A goofy grin spread across his face and it almost broke her heart. He hurried to her and grabbed her hands.
“I did it, Ariana. We’re engaged. Maria and me.”
She sniffed. “Pfft. You still have to get past her father and I tell you he’s more diligent than Cerberus in keeping riff-raff away from his daughter.” When the grin didn’t falter, she added, “Cerberus is the dog who guards—”
“I know who Cerberus is.” He squeezed her hands, still smiling enough to break his face. “And I’ve spoken to her father. He agreed. It’s real. It’s official. Please be happy for me.”
She blinked. She understood the words in that they were English, but she couldn’t make them sink in.
“How is that possible?”
He dropped her hands and wilted. “Thanks,” he said sarcastically.
She shook her head, sorry she had inadvertently hurt his feelings, but still not comprehending.
“No, it’s not that. It’s only that I’ve known that family for ages. Maria’s an angel, and her sister is all right as well, but her brothers and parents are foul. All they care about is money. My mum can’t stand them, it’s not just me.”
“Well, you were both wrong, I suppose. He welcomed me wholeheartedly into the family.”
He had a nervous look now and she narrowed her eyes, thinking she finally understood. She didn’t want it to be that.
“You didn’t,” she said. “Tell me you didn’t put a spell on Mr. Winters in order to get to marry Maria.”
He was silent too long. He didn’t need to answer at all, but he did. “I didn’t mean to.”
She threw her hands in the air and paced away from him, furious. She wasn’t sure who she was so angry with. The Winters family were just the way they were. Horrid. Except for Maria being her friend, they were of no circumstance at all to her. But Owen was … Owen. He was so far above people like that. The fact that he didn’t see it made her blood boil. That he put himself into a position to be made to feel inferior made her quake in her dance slippers. They weren’t even worth the deception! They should be so lucky as to have someone so fine in their family.
“You idiot,” she hissed, tears welling in her eyes. “Why did you have to ruin everything?”
“What?”
He was rightfully confused. She didn’t know why she was so upset, but she was madder than a wet cat and her claws wanted to come out.
“I told you I found the portal.” She pointed at the bedroom door and his eyes widened. “That was supposed to be our main goal during your visit. But then you were blinded by Maria.”
“You introduced me to her,” he sputtered. “You wanted her to be part of everything.”
“Before she turned out to be a useless lump, yes. But she’s rubbish at magic and you know it.”
Ariana’s face blazed. She had never said such mean things about Maria. But they were true. She regretted bringing her on, glow or no glow. She might have had the tiniest drop in her blood but it was too little to mean anything. And now everything was ruined.
“I don’t care about that,” he said, furrowing his brow. “And I’ve been thinking. Maybe we shouldn’t try to get that portal to work after all. It could be dangerous.”
She had been hemming and hawing the entire past week, trying to find the right time to admit she already went through without him. He hadn’t made it easy for her, what with spending every second with Maria. Every second a lie. For a moment, she hated him.
“I’ve already got it to work,” she said airily. “I’ve been through seven times now. I’ve gone ages into the future and met loads of people who are serious about their abilities. I’ve even mastered scrying thanks to their help.”
When his face fell, her rage was gone. He looked so truly disappointed she would have done anything to erase what she said. She would have made everyone swear it was her first time through and lived with the secret until her dying day if it meant he wouldn’t look so betrayed. But hadn’t he betrayed her first? Hadn’t he? She put her face in her hands, not sure of anything anymore.
“Are you telling the truth?” he asked, so low she could barely hear.
“I don’t lie,” she snapped, still not able to look at him. “That’s your game.”
“But we’ve been looking for it since we were ten.”
“And I told you I found it. I would have thought getting it to work was the most important thing about this visit.”
He stamped away, much to her relief, but then he stamped back. “Up until five minutes ago I was the happiest I’ve ever been. I thought you’d be happy for me. I’ll be living in London from now on. We could have explored it later on. Together.”
She huffed. “You could have left your precious angel for ten minutes? That’s all I’m ever gone, you know. That’s how good I am.”
“I wouldn’t have let you go alone,” he huffed right back. “Think of what could have happened to you! You’re as reckless as you’ve ever been.”
“Then come with me now,” she said eagerly, thinking things might go back to norma
l if he could see how wonderful it was in the future. New friends, being able to practice out in the open, doing so many incredible things. “Ten minutes, Owen. We can stay a day, a week, a month even, and it’ll only be ten minutes here.”
“Is that why you’re half dead on your feet?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. “How many days have you gone through in the past week? That can’t be healthy.”
“I’m fine.”
He raised an incredulous brow and held out his hand. “You come with me,” he urged. “Downstairs. Be happy for me. Raise a glass to me and Maria.” When she refused to take his hand he stuffed them into his armpits and hunched up anxiously. “I want to see the future, but not without Maria. What if something happens and I can’t get back?”
He was like a mile of bad road, up and down, back and forth. She couldn’t admit she wanted it to just be the two of them, like it had always been. Then she’d have to admit to herself that she was being petty and jealous.
The worst of it was that Maria was her best friend after Owen. She wanted them to get along, like each other. But she wanted magic more, and Maria was a slug. She didn’t need her now that she had her coven in the future. And she didn’t want Owen to need her, either. A tear trickled down her cheek and before she knew it she was enveloped in his arms. She rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. She only needed a quick rest. And he was so warm and comfortable.
“Ariana, what is wrong with you?” he asked. The dumb despair in his voice snapped her back to herself.
Shoving away from him, she answered, “I don’t want to lose you.” She laughed pitifully. “Stupid, I know.”
“It is stupid,” he said. “You lummox, why would you lose me? I’m going to be closer, don’t you see?”
She laughed some more, feeling like she might be on the verge of hysteria. She wanted to tell him he was too good for that family, despite Maria’s sweetness. If they really did accept him, they’d eat him alive, spitting out his bones for her to gather and piece back together. Which she would. She just didn’t want to.
“I’m glad you’re happy, Owen, but—”
“No buts. You owe me after cheating me out of the first portal trip. You always have to be ahead of everyone else, don’t you?” His words were harsh, but he said them with a teasing smile. He never had held a grudge against her and this was the worst thing she ever did to him. “Don’t go through the portal tonight. Your mum gets to have what? One party here every five years? It’s cruel to skip out on her. And look at your dress. It’s the best one I’ve seen yet.” He paused to catch his breath and she rolled her eyes. Her pale blue gown was magnificent, though. “Let’s go downstairs and drink far too much champagne and laugh at the ton.”
“Your new in-laws,” she said bitterly.
“Have at them,” he said, taking her arm and leading her toward the main staircase. It seemed he wanted to make a grand entrance, make sure she couldn’t escape. “I’m not marrying them.”
She rolled her eyes again. Poor simpleton. “You’re going to keep your spell going for the next fifty years?”
He stutter stepped and looked haunted. “I suppose if I have to.”
“Is that you being confident?” she asked.
They were at the top of the stairs and her mother had spotted her already. She beamed up at them and Ariana felt her frustration welling back up. Her life was based on lies. So was Owen’s. Why did he want to perpetuate it with lies of his own? She supposed she’d understand when she loved someone as fiercely as Owen did Maria. But if Maria only loved the fake Owen, she didn’t deserve him. She squeezed his arm until he sucked in a breath.
“You haven’t been putting your hexes on Maria as well, have you?”
“N-no.”
They were at the bottom of the stairs and a swarm of her friends hustled her away before she could demand a more solid denial. She twisted her head around and glimpsed Maria slide up next to him and slip her hand through his arm, right where Ariana had been holding only a moment before. She looked peaceful and proprietary, betrothed to the most handsome boy in the room. At least he didn’t need to cast any spells to prove that.
“Why didn’t you tell me that Maria and Owen have been secretly engaged for all this time?” her friend Lottie asked. “I’ve been making a fool of myself over him. No wonder he never once looked my way.”
“I only found out about it myself,” she said.
It was partly true. Owen had only admitted it to her that day. She wasn’t supposed to have overheard them and it wasn’t as if he confided in her. Like he used to.
“But you’re as thick as thieves. I would have thought it was you two getting married if he wasn’t your cousin.”
She glared at Lottie. She was way too tired for any nonsense from her gossipy friends. And she didn’t like the idea that Maria might have won something over her. That Owen could care about someone more than her. Tears stung her eyes.
“He isn’t my real cousin,” she snapped. “His father is my father’s caretaker for our Scottish property. They’ve been friends since childhood so they call each other brothers. Oh, and Owen’s father used to be married to my real aunt, but she died before I was born. So they used to be brothers-in-law, I guess.”
“She’s his second wife?” Lottie asked.
“You needn’t say it like that. It wasn’t as if she poisoned my aunt to get him.”
Lottie tittered. “But wait. How will Owen inherit … You say he’s the caretaker’s son? Ah, but he’s rich on his mother’s side.”
Ariana shrugged. “Not much. Not shabby, though.”
It certainly wouldn’t be anything to impress Lottie, whose family fortune was vast. Ariana had never given their situations much thought. The Scottish property would go to her one day in the far off future. She couldn’t bear to think about her father dying and even when it was hers it wasn’t as if she’d drop everything and move up there. If she did decide to live there, she’d never put Owen out.
“Just where does he think he’s going to take Maria to live?” she wondered aloud as she forced down a yawn.
Was he going to hex a toadstool to look like a mansion? Why hadn’t he discussed anything with her? She could have brought up all these practical questions, made him see how foolish he was to think he was ready to be married. She smothered another yawn, her lack of sleep making her more frustrated with him.
“Perhaps he’ll have a house built from the ground up, just to her liking. Oh, that’s so romantic.”
Ariana snorted. “You’re speaking of the boy who never has enough for a hired carriage. Yes, let’s wait for that to happen.”
Lottie got that look in her eyes. The hungry look of a vulture that had spotted a dying animal and circled, waiting for it to fall.
“Ariana, you must tell me everything at once. It’s going around that he has a big estate in Scotland and a fortune waiting for him on his mother’s side. And now you’re saying it’s really yours and his mother isn’t that wealthy at all?”
Ariana’s stomach dropped. She shouldn’t have said anything. Guilt made her look around wildly for a passing waiter so she could ply Lottie with enough spirits to make her forget everything she said. She saw Owen across the room, talking to an old man she didn’t recognize. Where was Maria? She had to fix this.
“No, that’s not what I said.”
“It is, though,” Lottie crowed. “Owen Povest is a pauper and he’s somehow managed to wheedle his way into one of the biggest fortunes in England.” She tapped her fingertips together in mock applause. “Bravo. But now I suppose I’m glad I didn’t turn his head.”
Ariana wanted to strangle her. She whirled around to see who else might have overheard them. Lottie could be bought off with a few baubles and threats, but who else…? Maria stood behind her with two champagne flutes in her hands.
“I-I wanted us to toast,” she said, face pale, eyes sparkling with tears.
There was no doubt in Ariana’s mind that s
he heard everything. She looked out over the sea of people, already seeing the hands cupping ears. She could almost hear the rush of whispers like wind through a field of grass. Maria wasn’t the only one who overheard.
“Maria, I’m a stupid cow who doesn’t know a thing,” Ariana hurried to say. “So is Lottie.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Yes, you should be begging Maria’s pardon,” Ariana said, grasping. Trying to blame anyone but herself.
“Ariana, please don’t,” Maria said, blinking hard. “If you could take these, I need to speak to Owen. To my father.”
Her voice broke and Ariana took the glasses before they crashed to the floor. The look on Maria’s face confirmed her worst fears. She didn’t love the real Owen, only the lie. It hurt Ariana almost as much as it was going to hurt him. She drained one of the champagne glasses down and before the despair could overwhelm her, drained the other.
Lottie looked at her, aghast at the unladylike display. But hadn’t her vicious gossiping been worse? Hadn’t ruining her best friend’s happiness been so much worse than drinking down two glasses of champagne?
Clear across the room, she could see Mr. Winters charging toward Owen. Poor boy still didn’t know what was about to hit him. He turned and caught her eye and beamed at her. It was worse than a knife to the heart, she was certain of it. As sorry as she felt, she had that much anger against him for spreading the lies in the first place.
She wanted the truth but not like this. She should have gone through the portal like she planned. She should have gone to bed. Anything but come down to this party. She pressed her hand to her chest, gasping at the pain.
“That’s what you get for gulping down all that wine like some sot,” Lottie said primly.
Like Owen’s wicked spells he swore he had no control over, her hand flung up and slapped Lottie hard across the face. Lottie screeched and staggered backwards over the chairs they’d been sitting on. Ariana burst into ragged tears and ran for her room.
Chapter 18
Belmary House 5 Page 14
