Page 3 of Magic in the Music (Magic and Mysteries #4)

This was not good, but he already knew that he should have kept his distance and admired her from afar. Even without having a conversation Cassian had developed an infatuation. Now those emotions had grown deeper and were in the process of sinking their claws into his heart.

“We should probably return,” she said after a moment, though her voice had dropped, a disappointment in her tone that bespoke of her reluctance to leave.

“I suppose we should,” Cassian responded even though he wanted to remain here, with Lady Samantha…just the two of them…

He glanced into her blue eyes, then at her coral lips and wished that…

Cassian blinked and glanced away. “If we are gone too long, no doubt someone will come looking for us.” It was best to return her to the manor before he did something so foolish as to kiss her.

* * *

Samantha had shared such a lovely afternoon with Mr. Jourdain yesterday.

Goodness, she had finally had a full conversation with him, something that she had been hoping to do but feared that it might not happen.

He also wasn’t as grumpy as she had first believed, except he wasn’t overly happy either. More sober but that was better than being disagreeable.

There was even a moment when she almost believed that he might kiss her, but then he turned away.

Oh, what would it be like to be kissed by such a handsome man?

“Why did you sigh?”

Samantha was pulled from her thoughts by Antonia’s question.

“I did not sigh,” she insisted.

“You did,” Maia said.

“You were woolgathering as we discussed plans for the festival of Haloa,” Petra complained.

Petra Drakos and her cousin, Maia Norcott were two of her dearest friends, along with Antonia.

“I suppose I still do not understand what the festival is and why you have one,” Samantha explained.

“That is not what you were thinking about,” Antonia grinned.

“Do not read my aura,” Samantha warned.

“I see a light blue, which is not unusual because you almost always have that color,” Antonia explained.

“What does it mean?” Petra asked.

“Happy and peaceful.”

Maia rolled her eyes. “We know that even without seeing auras. I was hoping to learn a secret.”

“I have none,” Samantha defended, to which Antonia arched a brow.

Maia’s eyes widened. “But she does. What other color do you see, Antonia?”

Samantha’s heart raced. Was it possible that her aura could have revealed that she was thinking about kissing Mr. Jourdain?

“I would not share Samantha’s more private colors any more than I would share yours,” Antonia finally said.

Samantha nearly blew out a sigh again, but then Maia and Petra would be even more convinced that she had something to hide.

Petra narrowed her eyes. “Then it is a color that means something important.”

“I bet it is the color of love, passion, desire,” Maia decided.

“For whom?” Samantha nearly laughed and hoped her friends could not see the truth.

“Cassian,” Petra answered.

“Why would you think such? He barely speaks to me,” she quickly rebuked their suggestion.

“He took you to the Sacred Grove yesterday.”

“Because Lady St. Alban told him to,” Samantha reminded her friends.

“I have seen how you have watched him when you do not think anyone else is looking,” Maia teased.

“I do not.”

“Yes, you do,” Antonia and Petra cried at the same time.

“And he watches you when he does not think anyone is looking,” Maia said knowingly as she nodded her head and raised her eyebrows as if she had a secret. Which she did not.

“He does not,” Samantha argued just as her heart and pulse sped, hopeful that what they said was true. Not that Samantha would dare admit such secret desires to her friends. “I have not seen as such.”

“Because you were not looking.” Maia rolled her eyes.

“We have all noticed you glancing at him, Cassian watching you, but neither one of you talking to the other,” Antonia assured her.

“That is likely why my aunt had him escort you yesterday and not anybody else. We are all tired of waiting,” Petra added.

Goodness! How could they all know? She was careful. Very careful. Except, she had only been afraid that Mr. Jourdain would notice her watching, not anyone else.

“He is a curiosity,” Samantha admitted. “He is quiet and hardly ever smiles. Serious. That is all.”

She quickly glanced at Antonia and hoped that she kept her secret. No doubt her aura had revealed the lie just as the music in her tone would have.

Antonia said nothing, but Petra chuckled in amusement.

“Thou dost protest too much.” Maia grinned.

“How was your visit to the Sacred Grove?” Antonia asked.

“It was pleasant,” Samantha admitted. “It is very lovely there.”

“Did he at least kiss you?” Maia asked.

“Of course not. Why would he?” Though for a moment she had hoped that he would.

“Hopeless!” Maia declared. “Simply hopeless.”

“I am not.” Samantha argued as she stood. “I am going to do something useful while you…do whatever you are doing.”

“Planning for the festival but if you would not have been thinking about Cassian, you would have known that,” Maia called after her as Samantha quit the small parlor and made her way to the music room.

Each instrument called to her, but it was the piano that she wanted to play. But first, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. She must be calm but most of all mindful.