Any Other Name (The Split Worlds) - By Emma Newman Page 0,102

the lock. It sent a tingle up his arm as he turned it.

He pocketed the key and opened the door. He could just make out his old room in his parents’ Aquae Sulis home through a haze that reminded him of the roads in Sicily during the heat of the day.

He held his breath and stepped through. When he glanced back he could see the door had already shut and locked behind him and the bookcase would be swinging back into place. When the Patroon had insisted on giving the Way as a gift, he’d been resistant to the idea, thinking the Patroon’s generosity was a thinly veiled lack of confidence in his ability to cope in Londinium. It was nothing more than a means of enabling Will to gain advice from his father without anyone else’s knowledge. Now he was grateful he hadn’t expressed that opinion at the time.

His mother, ever conscious of the embarrassment of being surprised by an unexpected guest – even if it was her own son – insisted on a Charm being put in place to ring a bell down in the servants’ hall should the Way from Londinium be opened. The butler was hurrying up the stairs as he emerged from his room.

“Good morning, sir, what a pleasure to see you again.”

“Good morning. Is my mother here? I need to speak to her. I apologise for the lack of polite notice, but it’s important.”

“She’s entertaining guests. Perhaps you’d be kind enough to wait in the drawing room, and I’ll inform her of your arrival.”

“Is my father here?”

“I’m afraid not, sir. He’s expected back this evening.”

Will paced as he waited in the drawing room, feeling strange now he was back in his old home. He felt younger and tense in a way he hadn’t for some time. He was back on guard, ready to defend himself from his siblings and their latest attempt to ridicule or trick him.

He was brought tea, which he hadn’t the stomach for, and then shortly afterwards his mother arrived, dressed in such an elaborate dress he surmised the guests were important.

“William.” She kissed him on the cheek. “What a lovely surprise. Is everything well in Londinium?”

“Yes,” he said. “Mother, I’m here about Sophia. I want her to come and stay with us.”

It was clearly the last thing she’d expected him to say. “I beg your pardon?”

“I want her to come and live with Cathy and me. She’s not happy here.”

“Whatever gives you that impression?”

“I used a Glass.”

“How rude!”

“She’s not looking well. Is no one keeping her company? Who is looking after her?”

“Stop making such a fuss. She’s fine.”

“I’d like to see her.”

“But that will only upset her, she misses you.”

“All the more reason for her to come with me.”

Mother arranged two cups on saucers, and they rattled as she did so. “William, do sit down and think about what you’re suggesting. Catherine is newly married and hardly in a position to care for her, and besides, it’s her first year as a new bride. She should be settling in and no doubt Dame Iris is paying her a great deal of attention.”

“You’re worried the Dame will find out about Sophia,” Will said, sitting opposite her. “I’m not a fool, mother. We’ll keep her out of the Dame’s way and tell the staff she’s a distant relative of mine, whose mother is sick or something.”

“Is Catherine prepared to do this?”

“She’ll adore Sophia, it’s impossible to not love her.”

Mother set the teapot down. “Oh, William. You haven’t told her, have you?”

“It’s not a problem,” he said. “Besides, I want her to have some contact with a young child. She needs to get used to the idea of us having children and what better way to do that than see how delightful one can be?”

“William,” – Mother handed him a cup of tea he still didn’t want – “you’ve got a lot to learn.”

“I can’t leave Sophia here being so miserable, it’s not right.”

She fidgeted, stirring her tea for too long. “We have guests. We’ve not been able to give her as much attention as usual, it’s true. And your father has been nervous about this for a while… the Patroon has been visiting more often since you went to Londinium. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to have her stay with you a little while, just whilst we’re entertaining.”

“Let me have Sophia to stay for just a month. We’ll see how she settles and how Cathy takes to her. Would you be amenable to