Necropolis (Royal Sorceress Book 3) by Christopher Nuttall Read Free Book Online Page B

the value of patience. There would be other opportunities to escape, she told herself firmly, and when she saw them she would take them. And next time she would be much more careful. Her next escape would be far better planned.
    The horses neighed as their riders let out a shout, then started cantering forwards again. This time, thankfully, there were fewer people in the streets, but there were still some very close calls. Olivia finally closed her eyes, forcing herself to block out the sights around her. All she could do, she told herself bitterly, was wait. There would be a chance, she was sure ...
    ... Because the alternative was giving in to despair.

 

    Chapter Five
    G wen heard the marching band long before the players – and the soldiers – came into view, parading along Pall Mall to the beat of a drum. The 5 th Highland Regiment was marching to take up positions in the southeast of England, preparing for a French invasion – or to invade France itself, if that seemed possible. Hundreds of children were clapping and cheering as the Highlanders marched onwards, while young women – even some clearly of aristocratic birth – were smiling and waving at the soldiers. Gwen had to smile, despite the constant fear for her daughter in her heart. Every girl seemed to love a soldier.
    But then, Britain doesn’t have a large standing army , she reminded herself. The Royal Navy – the impregnable wooden walls defending the nation – made it impossible for an enemy to actually land on British soil. Or so they hoped; she knew enough about recent developments in naval technology to fear that the Royal Navy might have some rough days ahead. But the last time Britain had had a standing army, it had proved as unpopular as they now were in France, Russia and even the German states.
    She smiled as she stepped inside the café and sat down, taking a seat in the window. It was a fashionable place these days, although Gwen had no idea why. A handful of middle-aged women sat in one corner, pretending not to look at the soldiers, while several young couples were chatting at private tables. They were being chaperoned, Gwen noted, just to make sure that nothing untoward happened before their weddings. It would be a major scandal if a couple was found to have anticipated their wedding night. And it would almost always be blamed on the girl. Women were often charged with being unable to control their emotions.
    Gwen snorted, remembering Sir Charles. She had been attracted to him, she had to admit, but she hadn’t allowed her emotions to blind her too far. It could easily have been a great deal worse, she knew, if she hadn’t realised just how carefully he was manipulating her. And then ... she would probably have lost her position, if not her life. A husband would be in an excellent position to stick a knife in her back.
    She looked over at one of the young couples – the girl younger than Gwen, the boy a couple of years older – and felt a stab of envy. They were innocent, ignorant of the responsibilities of adulthood, the responsibilities that Gwen had assumed when Master Thomas had died. She wouldn’t trade her position for a return to aristocratic life, not as a young lady under her mother’s thumb, but it would be nice to be able to put the burden down for a while. And yet there were no other Master Magicians ready to take her place. As far as she knew, she was the last Master Magician to be discovered.
    The door opened, revealing Lord Mycroft and another man. Gwen rose to her feet and smiled at Lord Mycroft, then nodded at the newcomer. They were very different; Lord Mycroft was immensely fat, with the sharp lines of his face weakened by overeating, while the stranger was tall and thin, with short ginger hair and a neatly trimmed goatee. Gwen eyed him sharply, remembering Sir Charles. The newcomer had the same air of infinite competence around him as her would-be seducer and betrayer had had. But she’d killed him in the