“There are certainly a lot of you,” Diana said.Her head felt a bit dizzy.“And I notice a theme.In naming.”
“Ah yes,” Mr.Grant said.“Martha has a fixation.But you fit right in, my dear.One of us before you even knew it.Meant to be.”He beamed, hooking his thumbs into his braces and rocking back onto his heels.“Excellent work, Temple my boy.But you’ve never settled for less than excellence.”
Temple grunted.
Diana looked up at him and whispered, “It’s merely a name.How can he know I’m anything close to excellent based on a name?”
“My father is a quick judge of character.And an accurate one.”
“Temple!”His mother’s voice carried across several rooms.
“Coming!”Temple yelled back.He patted Diana on the shoulder and left her.
Mr.Grant ran off to pull Ajax off a tall cupboard, and Diana was left alone to gather her wits.
But every new scene seemed purposefully designed to cast her wits from her once more.No candles in the modest chandelier she could see in the next room.Only floating, glowing orbs, casting a lovely golden glow over everything.In this room, too, on the wall sconces.She was used to candles or the glamoured appearance of candles.And the fireplace different, too.No flames leapt in the grate.There were coals in the stove, but they were not rough as she’d seen, and they produced no smoke or ash to foul the air.They did, however, produce a lovely tempered and consistent heat.
“Pardon me, miss.”A maid was beside her, bobbing a curtsy.“But may I take your bonnet?”
“Oh, yes.Apologies.”Diana removed it and handed it over.
“No need.You didn’t know I was there, and I couldn’t break through the Grant Army, now could I?No one can.”She chuckled then disappeared once more.
“That’s what they call us.”Sybil settled a chair next to Diana’s.“The Grant Army.”
“Who isthey?”
“Oh, everyone.Other alchemist families, their servants.The whole world, really.Our world, that is.The alchemists.”As Sybil spoke, she tugged over a tea cart that had been resting by the fireplace.She poured a cup of steaming tea for Diana then waved to the accoutrements on the cart.“Do as you please.You’ll have to get used to being informal if you join the family.”
“I can see that.”
Sybil poured her own cup, her gaze still heavy on Diana.Waiting for something?
“I do not mind,” Diana reassured her.“This is… different from what I’m used to.But it is nice.”What a tepid word for what this was.
Sitting in a nearby chair, Sybil said, “Careful!Hold the cup by the handle.And don’t ever touch the bottom.”
Feeling like she might be holding explosives, Diana froze.“And why is that?”
Sybil preened.“My own design.Look at the bottom of the cup.”
Diana did.It was not the same china as the rest of the teacup.It was darker orange metal.
“Copper,” Sybil said.“Once heated it will stay quite hot for some time.That’s why we keep the tea cart near the fireplace.And if the cup stays hot then?—”
“So will the tea.Brilliant.”
More preening.But somehow it did not make Diana think less of the woman.“Thank you.You look rather astounded.”
“This house is like an entirely different world.”
“Not like transcendent houses at all, I’m sure.Smaller.Only nine rooms, and all of us share.”A long suffering sigh.“If I can ever snag a husband, I’ll demand a room of my own.No bed-sharing.”
“Bed-sharing is part of marriage, isn’t it?Usually.At least a little.”
“Only as much as necessary.Helios is lucky.Temple spends most of his time at his London apartment, and Hesperus is away at his apprenticeship.He shares only with Tim.He’s our apprentice.”Sybil pointed to a boy sitting next to the girls playing cards.He was fiddling with a handful of bright orange wires.“Helios could go somewhere else to apprentice, but he wanted to stay with Papa.And he didn’t want to leave Helen.They’re twins.Quite close.She begged for an apprenticeship, too.I’m not sure she actually wanted one, though.She simply didn’t want to hold Helios back.But you know”—she cracked her knuckles—“men are so scared of women, they won’t let us eventryto learn.”
Diana could not disagree.“I thought alchemists more… progressive.”
