But it had been impossible to ask these questions of Sir Stephen or Lady Wythe, whose affection could not be doubted. That Zacharias’s own love for them was leavened with anger was best left unsaid; he tried not to know it himself.
“Very probably I would have been separated from my parents in any event,” he said. “What assurance can I feel that my parents were not in time separated from each other, against their will, and they powerless to prevent it?”
The answers to these questions were too painful to pursue to their conclusion, even in thought. They had only ever served to increase the complicated unhappiness that lay in wait whenever he thought of his parents.
Prunella cast her eyes down, her face troubled. The simurgh nestled close to her and nipped her ear.
“It would be terrible not to have anything of your mother and father,” said Prunella, speaking half to herself. “Not to have anything at all... Have you ever tried to find them, Zacharias?”
Zacharias stared at her. “Find them?”
“It is not such an extraordinary notion, surely,” said Prunella. “If I had money, as you do, I would go and look for my mother and father. Why, you do not even know they are dead. They might be alive! Just think, perhaps you could meet them—you could speak to them!” She clenched her fists, but fell silent.
They walked wordlessly together for a while, but when Zacharias spoke after a long pause, it was as if he was merely continuing a conversation they had been having all along.
“I would not have been rescued from my bondage if not for Sir Stephen’s conviction that he could make of me something extraordinary. I was not told that I must prove the African’s ability to English thaumaturgy, and Sir Stephen never said in so many words that hewished me to succeed him as Sorcerer Royal. But that these were the purposes for which I was educated was clear. Many men and women have lived and died desperate for the advantages I have been granted by a capricious Fate. How could I not perform as expected?”
“Zacharias,” said Prunella. “Did not youwantto be Sorcerer Royal?”
She sounded astonished, as if the alternative had never crossed her mind before.
“I have found that opportunity brings with it its own set of chains,” said Zacharias, after a pause. “That power generates demands which cannot easily be gainsaid—as you are learning now, I think.”
“Yes,” said Prunella. She raised earnest eyes to his face. “I know I am a shocking burden to you, Zacharias, but I do wish I could help. I should like to be a friend to you, if I could.”
For some reason she blushed. Zacharias felt a corresponding warmth rise in his own face. He pressed her hand lightly, and found he would like to retain it. Discerning this inclination in himself alarmed him so much that he dropped Prunella’s hand, and assumed his most businesslike manner.
“There is one thing you could do,” he said. “I need to speak to Mak Genggang. Do you know where she is?”
19
PRUNELLA’SCONVERSATIONWITHZacharias in the Park had left her in a thoughtful mood. Though she was meant to attend a card party that evening, she was just as glad when Lady Wythe declared herself too indisposed to go.
“I am sorry to spoil your fun, my dear,” said Lady Wythe, blowing her nose. “Could not that charming young friend of yours, Mrs. Kendle, go with you? She is a flighty creature to chaperone anyone, but you are not likely to get into any sort of scrape at Mrs. Cornwallis’s.”
“Sophia is engaged tonight, I believe,” said Prunella. “I shall not mind a quiet evening. Mr. Wythe has reproved me for my want of industry, so I mean to make a great advance in my studies, and amaze him tomorrow with the perfection of my formulae.”
“I hope you will not overwork yourself,” said Lady Wythe. “Zacharias drives himself so hard that he is not properly conscious of the toll he is likely to exact by demanding the same of others.”
Prunella promised to exercise restraint, though she said ruefully, “I think there is little danger I shall do too much!”
She began the evening’s work with the best of intentions, but the elvet picked a quarrel with the other two familiars: the unicorn and simurgh possessed placid tempers, but Nidget was a jealous, spiteful creature, and objected to sharing Prunella’s affections with the others. It was necessary to separate them, and placate Nidget. And then Nidget was so amusing, and told her such curious things about Fairyland, though it had only partial, confused memories of the place, that somehow Prunella had not got past the second chapter of the book she was reading when Lady Wythe’s butler announced a visitor.
“Why, Sophia,” exclaimed Prunella. “I thought you had gone to your party. You have come at an awkward time, I am afraid. Lady Wythe is unwell, and has retired for the evening.”
Sophia Kendle was a pretty young creature, vastly proud of having been snapped up in her first Season. She had fallen madly in love with Prunella the moment they met: “I am sure you are destined to marry a duke, you are so pretty and clever, and then your not knowing anything of your family is so romantic,” she declared.
She had just turned twenty-one, but looked younger as she danced up the hall to take her friend’s hands. She formed a curious contrast with her husband—a contemporary of Sir Stephen’s and a middling thaumaturge, possessed of a considerable fortune.
“We did not come to see Lady Wythe, save to request a favour of her,” said Mr. Kendle.
“What Kendle means to say is that he is a cruel beast, and has decreed that we must go to a stupid party of thaumaturges, where I shall know no one, and be bored to death,” said Sophia. “I plagued him to stop here, so that I could beg you to come with me. Pray say you will, darling.”
Prunella hesitated. She did not know Mr. Kendle well, but he did not look as though he desired Prunella to join the party.
“I do not know that Lady Wythe will like it,” she said, but Sophia cut in eagerly:
“But she can have no objection, for I shall chaperone you, and that will be ever so droll! The party is a very respectable one, only you know thaumaturges are such tedious creatures, my dear Kendle excepted, Icouldnot endure a whole evening among them without a friendly face to look upon. I meant to go with Amelia, but my sister is unwell, and I do not expect it will make any difference to our hosts if we exchange her for you.”
