Cordelia shrugged. “We will not know unless we try. That is, if you wish to learn.”
“Please teach me now.” Ianthe begged.
Cordelia blew out a breath. Had Ianthe resisted, there wasn’t much more she could have said.
Closing her eyes, Cordelia took in a deep breath, tilted her face to the sun, inhaled the sweet scent of the wildflowers and imagined the tension melting away from her neck and sliding down her shoulders, then focused on Ianthe. “It starts with shaking your hands, then letting them fall limp. Dropping them as if they’d fall to the ground if they weren’t attached to your arms.”
Ianthe followed her example.
“Now imagine the ground is pulling on your hands so that your shoulders drop as far as they can.”
Instead of simply watching, Cordelia also practiced what she was instructing. “This pulls the fear from your neck, shoulders and body. Imagine it dripping from your fingers.”
Cordelia then taught her how to slowly breathe and control that rhythm. “Now, close your eyes and imagine the blue sky, soft white clouds flowing by and the sun warm on your face.”
“Why can’t I just look up?” she asked.
“Because it may be raining when you need to calm. This way, you can do so inside or in any weather.”
“Oh, I understand.”
“Now, picture your favorite butterfly, with brilliant wings, flying up to the sky.”
Cordelia peeked at her. Ianthe had a smile.
Hopefully the rest of the instructions would go just as well.
Chapter 11
Damon triedto shake the sense of foreboding as he stepped into the clearing on his return to Nightshade Manor and was brought up short when he saw Cordelia and his niece. They were standing in the middle of a patch of wildflowers, their arms loose and hanging by their sides, eyes closed and facing the sun. Was this what Madam Boswell had meant when she told Miss Cordelia to teach Ianthe how to calm?
His mother stood at the back gate, and watched the two with an odd, contemplative expression. He made his way to her side.
“Madam Boswell sent Cordelia to Ianthe.”
“I recognized the witches’ calm, as we called it. The pulling in, the seeing out, the breathing and the peace, the understanding, seeking the beyond.”
He blinked at her. “Why didn’t you teach it to her?”
“I had forgotten because it has been so long. Further, I had not realized that Ianthe was so distraught.” She smiled. “She would not have listened to me anyway. Such as it is with children and grandchildren.”
“How does Miss Cordelia know about the witches’ calm?” he asked.
“Her governess was a witch,” his mother answered. “She was hired to help Cordelia with a fear.”
“What fear?” he found himself asking.
“Why did it take you so long to return?” his mother asked instead of answering his question. Or perhaps she didn’t know the answer.
“Madam Boswell wished to speak with me alone.” He blew out a breath, still unsettled and feeling like a fool because he’d allowed a likely charlatan to put him in this state.
“What did she tell you?” his mother asked in alarm.
He was not expecting this reaction, but he told her first of Edward and Ianthe.
His mother pursed her lips, then nodded. “I do not like it.”
“Are you going to deny their friendship?”
