Dear Bartleby, page 24
I nodded.
“Very good. And don’t worry. You’ll do just fine.”
He led us all outside. It was a bit of a tight squeeze, with the five of us, but Bertie has a very nice carriage, so it wasn’t as bad as it might have been. The palace was, naturally, very impressive. I was quite awe-struck at the sight. I fancy Mr. Voss and Mrs. Fossett were too, but she merely paled a little, and he did his best to hide his nerves. I glanced at Laurence to see if he was nervous, but he merely winked at me. If he does get the position, it is nice to see that he will still be able to function in the face of such grandeur. Bertie seemed very at ease, but he is clearly accustomed to this sort of thing.
We were led into a large sitting room. I was relieved it was not a throne room. Granted, it was the fanciest sitting room I’d ever been in, and the Prince Regent’s chair was almost fine enough to be a throne. He was an older man, a little younger than the dukex. He was tall and round with a handsome face. His clothes were beautiful and he sat toying with his cuffs in a way that managed to be both elegant and exude an air of boredom. There was an older couple on a settee beside him. The gentleman was short and thin with dark brown skin and wrinkles around his eyes, while the lady was pale skinned and rosy cheeked with a stocky build and a little taller than the gentleman. The couple rose when we walked in; the prince did not.
The Prince Regent smiled at Bertie and said, “Well, Finlington. It seems you managed it after all. Although I still can’t see why you don’t take the position yourself.”
Bertie returned the smile and gave a neat little bow. “I hope you will indulge my eccentricity, Your Royal Highness. But I do believe I’ve found some promising prospects for you.” He pivoted a little and said, “May I introduce Mrs. Lydia Fossett, Mr. David Voss, and Mr. Laurence Ayles? They are my recommendations for the post.”
They all bowed or curtsied as they were introduced.
“Making me do your work for you, eh?” the Prince Regent said.
“I’m happy to make the decision for you, sir. But I suspected you would like to have a voice in the matter.”
The Prince Regent snorted. “Damn right I do. I’d still like you, old fellow. Still can’t convince you to take the post?”
“I am quite set in my decision.”
The Prince Regent heaved a sigh. “Oh, all right. You know Sir James Badgeley, don’t you? Current Royal Spellcaster to the Crown? And of course Lady St. John, Sir James’s assistant. And you haven’t introduced me to the little fellow behind you.”
“I do beg your pardon. This is my assistant, Mr. Sebastian Harford.”
I bowed, feeling awkward. I could feel the Prince Regent’s eyes on me which made me feel very self-conscious.
The Royal Spellcaster drew the three contestants into a conversation. Lady St. John offered me a seat beside her, which I took, mostly to get out of the way. Once I was seated, Bertie was engaging in the conversation with Sir James and the three contestants, but he seemed careful to not participate too much.
“So, Mr. Hartford,” Lady St. John said. “How long have you been working for Lord Finlington?”
“Since July, my lady.”
“Do you like it?”
“Yes, my lady. Bertie—that is, Lord Finlington—is wonderful.”
The Prince Regent chuckled. “In love with him, are you? Well, you wouldn’t be the first. I reckon he has several dozen pining for him here in London.”
I startled a bit because I hadn’t realized he was listening. “N-no, sir. I’m actually engaged.”
“That does not exclude the possibility of you being in love with someone else, does it? But no matter. Who is it then? Anyone I know?”
“Er…” I glanced at Laurence, unsure if I should admit it was him. What if the Prince Regent took it the same way Mr. Voss did? Laurence noticed me looking and gave me a brief smile.
They both followed my line of sight.
“That Ayles fellow?” the Prince Regent said.
“Why don’t you tell us about him?” Lady St. John said. She spoke in a way that was both warm and crisp.
I decided it was a good opportunity to talk him up. “He’s very intelligent. And he has wonderful ideas about magic. He’s brilliant with it, you know. And he’s very kind and he’s—he’s one of the best people I know, really.”
“Besotted,” the Prince Regent remarked. “It’s a shame, really. I might have sponsored your coming out, if only to steal you away from Finlington.”
“Are you—” I stopped, realizing I had been about to question the Prince Regent.
He raised an eyebrow. “Go on.”
I swallowed. “Are you angry with him for turning down the position, Your Royal Highness?”
He shrugged. “Not angry so much as annoyed that he really seems to be staying in the country for the foreseeable future. London has been a dead bore since he quit it. What is that you’re clutching?”
“Bertie’s notes,” I said. “He compiled everything we wrote about each contestant and put together a formal recommendation.”
He held out his hand. I separated the notes from the blank pages Bertie had given me and handed them over. He began reading through them, our conversation clearly at an end.
Lady St. John gave me a small smile and asked if this was my first time in London. I told her that it was. “And how are you liking it?”
“I’m afraid I haven’t seen much of it yet, my lady. We went to Nesbit’s last night and then came here this morning.” I hesitated and then said, “Is there anything you’d recommend I see while I’m in town?”
Then she launched into a description about the tower, Somerset House, Hyde Park, the opera, Almack’s, Astley’s Amphitheater, Peerless Pond, and Vauxhall Gardens. I felt winded by the time she was done and I hadn’t even been the one talking.
After some time, the three contestants filed out of the room. I looked up in surprise.
Bertie smiled at my confusion. “Sir James and I thought it might be best for the contestants to leave while we discuss them. You’re welcome to join them if you’d like, m’dear.”
I was not overly fond of the idea of being left alone with so many grand people, so I hurried out as well. The other three were milling about the hall. Mr. Voss was pacing. Mrs. Fossett was sitting in a small chair, her leg pumping a little. Laurence was studying a painting of a bouquet. He looked over as the door was closed behind me and held out his hand. I immediately walked over and took it. He gave me a small peck on the cheek.
“All right?”
I nodded. “The Prince Regent is very intimidating.”
“I can imagine. I expected the Royal Spellcaster to be as well, but he wasn’t, which was nice.”
“What was he like?”
“He’s a friendly fellow. He’s been in the position a long time and is ready to pass the responsibilities to someone else. He seemed very down-to-earth. I quite liked him.”
“The Prince Regent knows I’m engaged to you,” I said in a low voice. “I hope I didn’t ruin your chances or anything.”
He stroked my cheek with the back of his fingers. “Angel, if they don’t like that we’re engaged, then clearly this isn’t the position for me. I wouldn’t worry about it.”
A quarter of an hour later, Bertie walked out and informed Mr. Voss that they were ready for him. To my surprise, he said that I was wanted for notetaking. “Prinny was impressed with the notes you gave him,” he explained. “Thought it would be best to keep the style consistent throughout the process.”
Laurence gave my hand an encouraging squeeze. I was dreadfully nervous, but I knew better than to object. I straightened the blank papers I was holding and walked in after Mr. Voss. Bertie stayed behind with the other contestants.
They were all waiting for me, so I hurried in.
“Thank you for indulging us, Mr. Hartford,” Sir James said.
I muttered that I was honored. And without further ado, the interview began.
Sir James asked most of the questions, although the Prince Regent chimed in a fair amount, and Lady St. John had a few questions too. I wrote down everything as quickly as I could, relieved that I’d had so much practice with Bertie. My hands were shaking at the beginning, but I noticed the Prince Regent referring to the stack of notes on his lap a few times, which made me feel better about the whole thing, and I started to calm down.
I could tell Mr. Voss was nervous from the way he spoke a little too loudly and too quickly. Both Sir James and Lady St. John gave him encouraging nods or smiled at some of his answers. I think they were trying to make him feel more comfortable. He got animated when asked about his goals for the position.
Then he left and Mrs. Fossett was sent in. I was a little worried about her because she’s so quiet, but she raised her chin and straightened her back. Her voice shook a little, but she spoke less hurriedly than Mr. Voss. I was proud of her, even though I really wanted Laurence to get the position. Like Mr. Voss, she seemed most impassioned when asked about her goals. Lady St. John seemed to like her, I fancy, although it really was hard to tell.
Finally, Laurence was brought in. He seemed the calmest out of the three of them, and even answered some of the questions with more technical detail than the other two. At one point, he and Sir James got into a full discussion about how Wolfe’s Essay on English Magic was outdated and overly conservative in its approach. It was all a bit over my head, but I wrote everything down, feeling pleased that Laurence was so intelligent. When he was sent back out, the Prince Regent held out his hand for my notes.
I expected to be sent out as well but, to my surprise, Sir James turned to me and said, “And what are your thoughts on the matter, Mr. Hartford?”
“Me, my lord?”
“Yes, you’ve been part of the process from the beginning. Finlington said that you’ve proven to be a valuable assistant. I’d like to hear your opinions on the three applicants.”
I let out a long breath, trying to get my thoughts in order. Part of me wanted to speak at length about Laurence, but I had a feeling that would make me seem too biased and my opinion less helpful. So I said, “All three of them would be marvelous for the position. They all have very good ideas about what they hope to accomplish. To my mind, they’d improve the country in terms of magic no matter who you picked.”
“What have you observed of each of them?” he asked.
I thought back to the conversation we’d had when Laurence came over to dinner. “Mr. Voss is very clever. He might have been the cleverest of the bunch, really. But…but I think he can be overconfident in his spellcasting and he sometimes makes mistakes because of it. Mrs. Fossett is very instinctual. She doesn’t even have to think about what she’s doing sometimes, she’s that good. But I’ve noticed she’s bolder with spells she already knows because she’s relying on instinct so much. With newer spells, she’s less confident. And with Lau—that is, Mr. Ayles—he’s very steady. He was never the fastest spellcaster of the group, but he wasn’t the slowest either. And he isn’t easily flustered by distractions. When he got his spells wrong—and, you see, they all got spells wrong occasionally—he was the least upset about it and he seemed to recover more quickly and move forward.”
“I’m impressed,” the Prince Regent said. “I expected a far more biased opinion from you.”
I felt myself flush. “I’m sure you know who I’d like you to choose,” I said. “Even before I was engaged to Laurence—Mr. Ayles—I hoped he or Mrs. Fossett would be selected because they’ve always been the nicest ones. There were a few contestants who I wouldn’t have liked you to pick, but they’re not here anymore. So I can honestly say that you’d be making a fine choice with whoever you decided on.”
The Prince Regent gave me a long, unreadable look. Then he told me I could leave. “You may come in with the others when we’ve reached a decision.”
When I stepped out into the hall, all four of them looked up at me expectantly. “They said they’ll call us in when they’ve reached a decision.”
“How did it go, m’dear?” Bertie said.
“I think it went all right. They were asking me for my opinions, which was strange. I didn’t expect that.”
“I did,” Bertie said with a grin.
“I daresay you spoke only of your fiancé’s charms,” Mr. Voss said testily.
I felt my face get hot. “As a matter of fact, the Prince Regent said he was impressed by how unbiased I was.”
He snorted and resumed his pacing.
“He liked your notes a great deal,” Bertie said. “You really do have excellent penmanship. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he offers you a position before we leave.”
“What?” I said, alarmed.
“Something secretarial in nature.”
“Oh. I’m not sure I’d like that,” I said quietly. “I like working for you, but that’s because you teach me things and…and you’re pleasant to be around.”
Bertie’s smile broadened. “How kind of you to say, darling! Well, I wouldn’t worry about it. I know from personal experience that he can be testy when his offers are rejected, but he does get over it. And it is no bad thing to have attracted the Prince Regent’s attention, especially for good reasons.”
I swallowed, uncomfortable with the whole notion. Laurence seemed to notice my discomfort for he came over and pulled my arm through his and led me in a slow stroll as he continued to study the paintings in the hallway. I tried to relax, listening to him comment on the way the Merlin’s ivy was painted, or how comfortable a particular chair looked, or how pretty one of the subjects was.
Finally, we were all summoned back in. I took up position at the back of the group, next to Bertie.
The Prince Regent stood when we all walked in. “You are all three highly qualified,” he said. “And I’m pleased to say that this was not an easy decision to make. But after due consideration, we are in agreement that I shall be appointing Mr. Laurence Ayles to be the next Royal Spellcaster to the Crown.”
I wanted to cheer at the announcement. I also wanted to pull Laurence into a kiss, but that seemed inappropriate. As it was, Laurence was busy shaking everyone’s hand and being solemnly congratulated. The whole thing was very quiet and polite. Laurence got drawn into a conversation with Sir James and the Prince Regent beckoned me forward.
He sat in his seat and leaned back, looking me up and down. “How would you like a position as secretary, Hartford? Now that your young man has been selected, you can come work in London too.”
When he phrased it like that, I really had to consider. “I thought the position was eventually going to be a correspondent type of thing,” I said slowly.
He frowned a little. “Yes, it can be. Sir James lives in London, so that hasn’t been an issue. And if you’re both working here, there’s no reason for you both not to settle in the city as well.”
I thought about Laurence’s plans for the garden and the unfinished treehouse. I thought about Gavin and Charles and how I wouldn’t be able to stay with them anymore. I wouldn’t work for Bertie. I wouldn’t get to practice my assignments with Pip and Gerry. I took a deep breath and said, “I can’t tell you how honored I am, sir.”
His mouth twisted into a smirk. “Ah. But you will regretfully have to decline?”
I nodded. “I don’t wish to leave Tutting-on-Cress.”
“What is it about that confounded place that has so many people wanting to live there?” he muttered. He sighed. “Ah well. I’m not surprised. When your betrothed does start to work via correspondence, he might want to consider employing you in some fashion. Be sure to tell him so.”
“Er…I will. Thank you, sir.”
He picked up a glass of brandy and waved me off.
Laurence was told to return the following day to sign a contract and then we were dismissed. When we were finally outside the palace, I pulled Laurence into a hug and kissed him. “I’m so proud of you,” I said softly.
“I still say this,” Mr. Voss said, gesturing at us, “is the reason you were picked, Ayles.”
Laurence rolled his eyes. “I doubt the Prince Regent picked me because of my relationship with Sebastian.”
“And what did he say when he was alone with them, hm?” Mr. Voss said, stepping closer. “I’m sure he said all sorts of things about all of us. What did you say to them, you little—”
To my surprise, Laurence stepped in front of me, tucking me behind his back. “There’s no reason to bring Sebastian into this, Voss. You know perfectly well he was here as his lordship’s assistant, not my fiancé.”
“He was here as both!” Voss said, his voice louder. “I’d like to know what was said.”
“I said you were probably the cleverest person in the group,” I said, getting angry. “Although I daresay I regret that now.”
He rocked back, clearly surprised. “What?”
“I said you were clever, that Mrs. Fossett was one of the most instinctual spellcasters, and that Laurence was steady.”
I felt Laurence squeeze my hip where he was holding me behind him.
“It might interest you to know,” Bertie said in a calm voice, “that my opinions were taken into account as well.”
“My lord, I didn’t mean—”
Bertie held up his hand. “Sebastian’s presence has had an impact on my recommendation, but not for the reasons you think. I’m quite aware of your dislike for him. You’ve treated him with disdain since you first entered my home. I almost didn’t call you back after your interview, you know. But you were so talented, I decided to give you another chance. Do you recall Sir James giving us that anecdote about how he got an idea from his scullery maid?” He waited until Mr. Voss nodded. “This position is an impressive one, but I wanted to be sure that whoever was appointed was someone who did not consider themselves above others. Would you have the humility to notice a spell your servant was casting? If Sebastian had made a comment that inspired a spell, would you have been paying enough attention to hear it? Your ideas for this position are good ones, Voss. You are a brilliant, strong, and talented spellcaster. This process does not signal the end of your career, but rather the beginning of it. What you make of it is up to you, and I encourage you to learn the right lessons from this experience.”
