“But you made the introductions?”
“Yes, to Lady Anne, at least. At first she was tremendously pleased with me for discovering Granny – until Granny announced that she was a dragon companion. I expected doubt or perhaps shock, but she was outright terrified. White as a sheet, she backed as far away from Granny as she could. I have never seen anything ruffle a hair on her head before!” She shook her head in disbelief.
It surprised Elizabeth, too. “I suppose some people find dragons frightening,” she said slowly.
“They certainly do! Granny had Sycamore materialize in Grosvenor Square – oh, the screaming as people fled! And Sycamore just sat there on his haunches and looked amused. After that, Lady Anne dragged me off for an interrogation – and I do not use that term lightly – about everything I had seen here and learned of Granny. But then she did not want me around, either, not when she had your sisters to play with.”
An unexpected wave of longing for her family swamped her. “Did you see Mary and Kitty?” Any news of them would be a relief.
“Only for a moment, when I first arrived. The repulsion, you know. Lady Anne is pleased with Mary, but said Kitty lacked cleverness. Of course, she seems to think the same of you, which is odd.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Not really. I went to some effort to convince her I was a stupid country girl. I did not care to be interrogated, either.”
Frederica’s eyes brightened. “Well done! Anyway, then I had to go home to my father’s house, where I have not lived for years. He is in the government, so he told me a little of what happened next. There was supposed to be a polite demonstration of Sycamore’s ability in Hyde Park. At least it was polite until a frightened soldier took a potshot at Sycamore and the bullet bounced right off his scales. Granny froze the entire regiment in their tracks and their guns grew so hot that they dropped them. She called the officer in charge a fool who deserved to lose the war, and he could either take her seriously or she would burn Westminster to the ground.”
Elizabeth gasped. “Oh, my! At least she showed a little restraint.”
Frederica chuckled. “Not for long. Something else must have gone wrong, for there was a fire at Westminster the next day – not a big one, no one killed, but it must have been Sycamore. It was a fortunate thing for me, since my father went storming out of the house without giving orders that I must be kept inside. So I announced I was going shopping, bought a ticket on a stagecoach, and came here.”
Elizabeth held up her hand, unable to keep up with the torrent of words. “Wait! Why would your father make you stay in the house?”
Frederica made a tutting sound. “Oh, that. He announced it was time I married, and he had sent for that nuisance Mortimer Percy, who has been waiting for me for years despite my frequent refusals. No need for any courting, of course, since we would never be in the same room except to conceive a child. What I would not do for one of those dragon silver rings to stop repulsion! Not that I would marry Mortimer Percy, anyway, ugh. I was just writing a note to Granny to ask her to rescue me when the news about Westminster came, and I seized my opportunity.” She looked tremendously pleased with herself.
Elizabeth could not help laughing at her effervescent friend, despite her concern over the turmoil in London. “You have had quite an adventure! Well, I am glad you are here, though I imagine you are sorry to miss all the excitement Granny is creating in Town.”
Frederica leaned forward. “Not really. I wish I knew what she was doing, but I would rather be here with the dragons. The ones I can talk to, that is. Where is Roderick? He must have reached here days ago.”
Oh, dear. “I received a note from him in London, saying he was returning directly to Wales, and thanking me for my hospitality.” It had been a disappointment to her, since she enjoyed his company, but she suspected it would be more of a blow to Frederica.
Frederica’s face froze, and for a moment she did not say a word. Finally, stiffly, she said, “How very like him. He did not even bother to say goodbye.”
In fact it was not at all like Roderick, who was unfailingly calm and polite. What had happened on that long carriage ride with just the three of them, Frederica, Roderick and Granny? “I am sorry for that.”
“It is unlikely I will ever see him again,” she said icily. “How is Cerridwen?” The abrupt change of subject only revealed the depth of her distress.
Poor Frederica! Not that she and Roderick ever had a real chance, the fashionable aristocratic lady and the disinherited Welshman, not to mention the inevitability of repulsion between them once Roderick returned the dragon silver ring he had worn at Pemberley. But still, it was clear her heart had been touched. Not to mention her pride.
“Cerridwen seems well, though I hardly ever see her. She seems to want to make up for all those years when she was deprived of the company of other dragons.”
“Pity. I have been hoping to speak to her about something.” Frederica frowned.
Perhaps this was an opportunity for distraction for both of them. “We could call on her. I do not know if they would let you into the Nest, but I think you would find the Companions’ House very interesting.” And the dragons would be eager to hear Frederica’s report on the events in London.
Her eyebrow arched gracefully. “The Companions’ House?”
“Oh, yes! A great deal has happened since you left, and I must tell you all about it, once you have recovered from your travels.”
“I doubt my curiosity can wait that long, but I would like nothing better than to see this Companions’ House,” she said stoutly. “Oh, but there is one thing I must tell you. Rana Akshaya is coming here. She called on me to announce her intentions. I am not certain she understands that she is supposed to wait for an invitation, or even to warn you of her arrival.”
So the Indian mage was going to visit Pemberley. No doubt Cerridwen was the main attraction, but it would give Elizabeth a chance to learn more about her than Chandrika was willing to reveal. “I had best send her an invitation, then, just to make things proper.”
“A good idea.” Frederica took a sip of tea. “Now, tell me everything that has happened here.”
Frederica hurried to the Great Hall of the Companions’ House. How exciting this was, staying at the very place which had once been home to the companions of the old stories! Even if they would not let her into the Nest, it was still thrilling. And she had let a full-grown dragon read her memories and be present in her mind. What an experience!
And now she was going to put her cards on the table. Most likely it would fail, but that would be no worse than never trying.
Juniper, the one who had read her earlier, was waiting for her on one of the raised platforms, towering over her. And she had thought Sycamore was a giant compared to Cerridwen!
