“I would like that if it’s possible.” Andre inclined his head respectfully at Tam. “I am honored to have seen your abilities, Lady Tamsyn!”
Thinking it was time to return to business, Cade said, “If we leave early in the morning, we should be able to make it to Woolwich by late afternoon. The roads are good from here to London.”
“London!” Tam said dramatically. “Life will return to normal and I’ll have more than one gown to wear!”
Her gaze met Cade’s and turned bleak, and he knew they were thinking the same thing. They would have tonight to be together. After that, when would such closeness be possible again?
CHAPTER37
The carriage ride to London was indeed smooth and swift. Tamsyn dozed for the last part with her head on Cade’s lap. She thought it was as close as she could get to him without being scandalous.
She awoke when Cade patted her on the shoulder in a very non-scandalous way. “Time to wake up, Tamkin. We’ve entered Woolwich.”
She sat up and covered a yawn. “That was a very easy journey, Cade. Have you been playing with the weather again?”
“Yes, and it seems to be possible.” He brushed a lock of her hair from her cheek in a way that was a bit more than brotherly.
Andre had been staring eagerly out the window, but he swiveled around and stared. “You can really do that, Cade?”
“More experimenting is required, but I think it’s possible to have some effect,” Cade replied. “I’ll never be a wizard standing on a cliff calling down lightning to smite my enemies, but it seems I can encourage weather that might already be happening.”
“That is extremely interesting!” Tamsyn looked out the window thoughtfully. “There are some heavy clouds ahead, north of the Thames, which could bring rain to the Royal Arsenal soon. Shall we see if we can push those clouds away?”
She caught first Cade’s hand, then Andre’s. Once more she felt the surge of power that came from connecting with other gifted people. They all gazed out the window at the heavy clouds and concentrated.
Slowly the clouds began breaking up. Tamsyn gave a whoop of excitement and squeezed her companions’ hands. “This is definitely a gift worth further exploration!”
Andre continued gazing out the window. “There seems to be no end to the possibilities.”
“So it seems,” Cade said. He gave Tam’s hand a private squeeze before releasing it. “Of course we three are unusually gifted to begin with.”
“You know Woolwich a bit, don’t you, Cade?” Tamsyn asked. “What can you tell us about it?”
“Well, the name Woolwich probably means that long ago this was a place where large amounts of wool were shipped because wool was England’s most important product for several centuries.” Cade grinned. “Also, the Arsenal is called the Warren because an early owner had a vast rabbit warren there. The earth was full of tunnels that were home to rabbits that could be hunted for food.”
Tam blinked. “Really? Are there still rabbits there?”
“I imagine they’ve moved out in search of quieter lodgings. Having artillery tested overhead can’t be very restful.”
Andre pulled out a worn and frequently folded slip of paper with writing on it. “This is where the Caton family lives. Do you know where that address is?”
Cade studied the paper. “Yes, and it’s a very pleasant area and conveniently close to the Arsenal.”
He signaled the carriage to stop and had a brief conversation with the driver about their destination. As they started again, Tam asked, “Is your Elizabeth gifted?”
Andre gave a twisted smile. “She’s not my Elizabeth, and I don’t know if she’s gifted or not. We didn’t talk about such things.”
Tam gave an understanding nod. “We Tremaynes talk about gifts a great deal among ourselves, but for many people, the subject is still one to be avoided. I hope when you see her again, you’ll be able to talk about being gifted since it’s an important part of you.”
Looking daunted, Andre said, “I never thought of the possibility that she might despise me for what I am!”
“She might not,” Cade said, “but it’s always something to consider when you meet others who don’t know what you can do.”
Andre sat tensely as the carriage drove the last distance to the Caton residence. They pulled up in front of a handsome house, not a mansion but freestanding and large enough to have an attractive garden.
As soon as the wheels stopped rolling, Andre swung out of the door, then stood still as he gazed uncertainly at the house.
Before he could start walking to the entrance, the front door flew open and a slim young woman with cinnamon-colored hair bolted outside. “Andrew!I thought I felt you coming!”
