Page 4 of Claiming the Tower (Council Mysteries #1)
“Oh, you like that too?” Hereswith was delighted.
“I think some of the best quiet times are by a window, the rain coming down just enough you can hear it faintly, with warmth and a good book inside. The quiet of it.” She waved a hand, then reached for the scone, applying jam, then clotted cream.
A moment later, Bess did the opposite, and Hereswith asked, prodding gently, “Family from Devon, then?”
Bess glanced at her hand, then laughed. “My mother’s side. Also, Madam Judson does not care for scones, but she prefers Devon’s approach when she must.”
Hereswith chuckled. “Oh, my preference is practical. I like the way the juice of the jam soaks in a little. But I’ll match whoever I’m with, if it makes them more comfortable. You, however, I was sure would understand a range of preferences and choose what you liked.”
“You’re in the Ministry, aren’t you? Beyond the Borders?” Bess took a delicate bite of her scone.
“I am. Which makes the question of jam or cream first quite a delicate one. And dozens of other things of that kind. I have a mix of policy work and meetings about that, and then a public face, with the non-magical, that’s a much more delicate social dance.”
“Along with a certain amount of being out in society here.” Bess glanced up, blue eyes focusing on Hereswith. “Madam Judson was in attendance at the St George’s Day Gala, and she spent hours with the paper the next few days. Your name was mentioned.”
“Oh, yes. The usual line about the Ministry work, and how I’m not settled down and married.
Entirely on the shelf, of course, and have been for a decade and a half.
” Hereswith considered how much else to say.
“Escorted in this case by a young man in the department whose marriage is still being sorted for him. I mentor him, no other interest.” Terrance was coming along well, and he took advice particularly nicely.
By which she meant he listened and asked questions, not necessarily that he did exactly as she suggested.
Bess nodded. “I would not have assumed, of course.” She took a bite or two of her scone, then swallowed delicately. “It is a problem, isn’t it? Having people assume what you want? It is for me. And it must be complicated to navigate with the non-magical.”
“Oh, yes. There, I and a colleague maintain the illusion we live in a townhouse in London. We do some entertaining. I am his spinster cousin. He is a confirmed bachelor. Marcus Everett, you might know William Exeter? They live together, here in Trellech.” That was enough to give the nod to preferences.
Such things were not exactly condoned in most circles.
If Bess were inclined to be difficult about it, best to know now.
“Madam Judson considers such things scandalous, as you might expect. I’ve rather envied the people who can find someone they choose, like that. A freedom not dictated by family obligations, or the obligation to have a family.”
“My brothers have taken care of that when it comes to the family line, thankfully. They’re both older.
My nieces and nephews are adults now. I do like them, though, and I enjoyed when they were young.
” Her brothers, that was a more complex question, though Oswig was kinder and more likely to think of Hereswith’s particular interests than Wulfred, their older brother.
“Older brothers have their uses.” Bess glanced away. Something in that made her uncomfortable. Then she deliberately reached for one of the spice biscuits, sipping her tea. “Where do you live when you’re not in London?”
“Our family home, just outside Bath. Mama was his second wife.” Now it was Hereswith’s turn to hesitate. “She was in Paris during the cholera epidemic in 1831, and well.” Her voice trailed off. “I was in my first year at Schola.”
“I am so sorry. That must have been horrible. And to have it happen when she was away, and you were away from home.” Bess’s sympathy— and empathy— were immediate. “Your father?”
“Elderly, his body fails him more than he approves. But his mind is still sharp, for the most part. He has a deep fondness for Anglo-Saxon history, and named us accordingly. But if one can cope with that quirk, he has wide-ranging interests otherwise, always an interesting conversation. It set me up extremely well for diplomatic work, honestly. Both following someone’s obsession with a topic and having a selection to draw on. ”
Bess laughed at that. “Oh, I can imagine. What sort of topics are relevant, then?” The conversation wound on from there, most agreeably.
It travelled through a discussion of Hindu customs at meals, the operatic works of Rossini, several recently published novels and Bess’s fondness for Gothic fiction.
Or at least her fondness when she could sneak a chance to read them.
It also included a compare and contrast of other tea carts they had particularly enjoyed, which gave Hereswith a good idea of Bess’s preferences.
By the time Bess had to depart to meet Madam Judson, Hereswith felt both of them were much the better for the conversation. She made a point of noting down that she should see about coming back to The Field on a Tuesday afternoon when her schedule allowed.