Page 14 of Magic in the Music (Magic and Mysteries #4)

Shouldn’t Eugenia be more concerned with her children marrying than the boy she took into her home and raised but was of no blood relation?

That was the one question that had plagued Cassian through the evening before and his first thought this morning, and why he was determined to arrive at Nightshade Manor before anyone else had awakened.

He wanted to talk to Eugenia alone, and knew it was her habit of rising early.

Not with the sunrise, but earlier than most and he had spent many quiet mornings with her in his younger years when they talked about many things and it was through her that he learned to appreciate the peacefulness of an awakening day.

It had been impossible to speak with her last night because right after they had dined, everyone gathered in the drawing room to celebrate Mother’s Night.

He had heard the stories a dozen times but still enjoyed them and if he had not been irritated or worried that Eugenia was attempting to match him with Samantha, he likely would have gotten more enjoyment from the evening.

The only person he thought he might encounter so early was Samantha, but he had not seen her either, which was for the best because he would have been distracted from his purpose and he needed to speak with the woman who had raised him.

When she finally appeared, he stepped forward. “Might I have a word, Eugenia.”

She frowned, then nodded before she followed Cassian into the parlor where he shut the door.

“Is something the matter?”

“Why are you trying to match me to Samantha?”

Her eyes widened slightly as she pulled back. “Whatever do you mean?”

She was trying too hard to claim innocence and Cassian knew her too well.

“Why have me escort her to the Sacred Grove and then into Bocka Morrow to shop? She is a guest in this house. You have a daughter and nieces who could have seen to the task, yet you sent her…with me.”

“She is one of Antonia’s dearest friends and wants to be of assistance for the celebrations planned.”

He had not heard Samantha make such a claim. Then again, Cassian wasn’t around her constantly.

“She is a lovely girl. What do you have against her?”

“Nothing, but she is not for me,” Cassian answered.

“Truly? I thought the two of you were getting on quite well.”

“What gave you that idea?” he demanded.

“You have been watching her since the ball. Not in a way that would make one concerned, but as someone with a heightened interest in coming to know another person. You both enjoy rising early to watch the sunrise, you enjoy her music, you took her to have her past revealed, and you took her to see dolphins. One may assume that you have entered into a courtship.”

“We most certainly have not. Further, we are ill-suited.”

“I do find that difficult to believe for I have watched the two of you.”

He really did not want to argue with Eugenia, but he would if he must. “Even if I wished to pursue Lady Samantha, which I am in no way admitting, I cannot.”

“Whyever not?”

“What do I have to offer her or any woman? It is why I remain a bachelor.”

“You can offer the same as my other sons,” she answered. “Only Chedworth will receive more because he is the heir.”

It was true that Cassian had been treated no differently than her other children even though he was not hers by blood. Cassian had been appreciative when he was younger but suffered from guilt for accepting so much now that he was older.

“The quarterlies are certainly sufficient enough to support a wife for when the time comes,” she added. “You even have the advantage over the others by already having a cottage.”

“It is not something I own but am allowed to live in.”

“It is the home you made for you and your sister. Nobody will ever take that from you.”

“It also sits in near seclusion.”

“It is not like it is situated deep in the country and hours from any other humans,” she laughed.

“While I do appreciate the quarterlies, they really should not be given to me.”

“Why not?”

“I have already taken too much from you and St. Alban. Circumstances brought me to your door and I will forever be grateful, but I need to take responsibility for myself.”

Sadness filled her eyes, but it wasn’t because she was hurt but pitied him.

“Even you must realize that a Mr. Jourdain cannot offer for a lady, even if I wanted to.” Cassian reminded himself to be very careful so as not to admit that he did care for Samantha.

“You are not simply Mr. Jourdain, you are a lord, Comte de Rohan.”

“It is an empty title as there is no wealth and even if I do manage to retain the land, it is impoverished.”

“The title is still yours and you should use it.”

“Maybe one day,” he murmured.

Eugenia reached out and grasped his hand.

“I am sorry, Eugenia. I truly did not mean to distress you. This family will always be in my heart, especially you.” He blew out a sigh. “I suppose I just find myself….”

“Discontented?” she asked.

“Yes,” he admitted.

“You are a good man. You and Nina were delivered to us for a reason.”

“It was a storm,” Cassian reminded her.

“True, but the waves could have deposited the two of you anywhere along the coast but chose the cove.”

“Those were Nereids, who broke the rules in saving humans.”

“I have never believed that it was by chance that the ship went down where it did, or that the Nereids were close enough so that you could be saved. I have never believed it was so simple or a coincidence.”

“Do you believe the storm was intentional?” Had some god of the seas taken vengeance on the ship?

The thought had never occurred to him, which sparked anger in his breast. He had lost his mother because of that storm.

“No,” Eugenia quickly assured him. “I do not know the reasons why, Cassian, but the circumstances were unusual and for that reason, I believe you and your sister were meant to be here and with us.”

“Why?”

“That is yet to be determined.”

“Maybe it was so Orion and Nina could meet,” he muttered thoughtfully.

“Then why would you have been saved as well?”

“To see that she survived to become an adult,” he answered.

“We likely would have made those decisions without you, Cassian,” Eugenia offered softly. “If she washed up on our shore, then we were meant to save her.”

“Then why was I?”

“That is yet to be determined.”

She squeezed his hands, then kissed him on the cheek before leaving Cassian alone in the parlor.

They likely would have saved Nina without his insistence, so that was not a certainty.

He blew out a sigh. It was more likely that he was needed to save Nina so that she would wed her destined mate, Orion Drakos, which changed nothing for where Cassian found himself now—in a position that did not allow him to pursue Samantha.

* * *

Samantha was not one to eavesdrop on others.

Besides, she really did not need to go out of her way to do so.

At least, not to hear a person’s music, but their words were sometimes hidden.

And, she would not have attempted to eavesdrop today but as she passed the door to the parlor where Lady St. Alban and Cassian were having a private conversation, she heard Lady St. Alban’s sadness in her music.

Why was she upset? Had something happened to someone?

“You are not simply Mr. Jourdain, you are a lord, Comte de Rohan.”

Samantha’s eyes widened as the words bled through the door.

“It is an empty title as there is no wealth and even if I do manage to retain the land, it is impoverished.”

“The title is still yours and you should use it.”

Oh, she wanted to learn more, but footsteps approached so Samantha rushed to the dining room to break her fast. Few residents were awake this early, and she was grateful that nobody had yet come in to break their fast, which offered her time with her private thoughts.

Why was Lady St. Alban sad? Was it for Cassian? If so, why?

Why did Cassian deny who he was?

And how did a comte come to live in England and be raised by a British earl and his wife?

Oh, she wished that she could ask someone, but if she did, they would want to know how she came about her information and then she would need to admit that she was eavesdropping, thus losing the trust of everyone.

The fact that he was a comte changed nothing in how she felt about Cassian.

She had visited London and enjoyed enough Seasons to know that a title was not nearly as important as the person who possessed it or their character.

She already liked Cassian and he could be a poor, destitute, distant relative of Lady St. Alban and Samantha would still care for him.

Oh, she did not want to care for Cassian as deeply as she did, but there was no changing her heart.

She would simply have to live with that fact, even if it meant he never returned her affection and she lived as a spinster for the rest of her life, for she doubted that anyone else would come along that she could care for more than him.

Which also meant that her soul would spend yet another life looking for her mate.

Her appetite abandoned her before she could finish what she had placed on her plate, so Samantha rose from the table to make her way to the music room.

Normally she would remain to converse with the others as they came in, but her mood was not as it should be and she certainly did not want Antonia noticing any change in her aura.

However, when Samantha settled behind the piano, she could not play either. Her own emotions were too much of a jumble to be mindful and she feared that what she inwardly experienced would be released in the notes, thus affecting everyone within the manor.

Instead, she sat there and stared at the music, questions unanswered, unrequited infatuation, and uncertain what to do.

“Samantha, are you in here?” Petra called right before she opened the door to the music room.

After she stepped in and looked around, she frowned. “You are alone?”

“Why would I not be?”

“It is not important.” She lifted her shoulders then let them drop as she let out a sigh.

“Are the two of you coming with us?” Cassian smiled as he strolled into the music room. His mood had certainly improved since she saw him storm across the Sacred Grove this morning. Had it anything to do with his conversation with Lady St. Alban?

Again, another question she could not ask.

“I am, but I have not yet asked Samantha,” Petra answered.

“Where are you going?” Samantha inquired as she rose from her seat and walked around the piano.

“We are off to cut the mistletoe, greenery and the yule log.” Petra grinned.

“Should that not be done on Christmas Eve?” she asked.

“Oh, Samantha, you have so much to learn about our pagan origins.” Petra shook her head and glided out of the music room without offering up an explanation.

“Why today?” she asked Cassian.

“Because it is the Winter Solstice and that is when these witches deck their homes with mistletoe, ivy, holly and set the yule log aflame.”

“And everyone goes?” she asked

“Not the parents any longer. They leave that to the adult children. This is also the one time that we are allowed into the forbidden forest.”

Samantha took a step back. They certainly were not going to venture into somewhere so dangerous, were they?

It was also the very place that she promised herself not to go, which meant she would remain exactly where she was. “Why?”

“Because mistletoe grows best on the oak trees within. Also, it needs to be cut away so that the trees do not die. The forbidden forest has an abundance of everything we need, including a yule log since the area remains undisturbed.”

“Are you not afraid to enter?” Samantha asked. A wolf lived there. More than one, and who knew what other dangerous animals made the forbidden forest their home.

“This is the one day that we are all given passage,” Cassian promised. “It is a tradition. And, even if we are met with disgruntled animals, Antonia will be with us to explain.” He laughed. “Come along. It is always entertaining, so long as Simon doesn’t cut anything but the mistletoe.”

Samantha gasped. “Has anyone ever been hurt?”

“No, but we fear that it is only a matter of time.”

She wanted to go, she truly did, but did she dare? “Iza warned me not to wander.”

“My interpretation was not to wander alone. You will be with a group of us and so long as you do not go off on your own, there should be no concern.”

He was correct and she hated to miss out on something that might be quite fun…

“Come with us, Samantha.” He reached forward and grasped her hand, then pulled her from the room.

Her hand tingled and warmed. Cassian had never really touched her before.

Then suddenly he stopped and glanced down and then let her hand drop as if it had burned him. “I apologize for the familiarity. It will not happen again.”

Except, she wanted it to.