A shocked silence fell over the room. Rose’s jaw fell open in disbelief. Even in this ramshackle household, money was a topic never to be discussed in company, and Sir Gareth must have guessed by looking at this room what everyone else already knew. Uncle Parry would never be able to afford such elegant ornaments for his daughters, and his reddening face showed the humiliation he must be feeling at that reminder.
Rose refused to stand for it.
“My uncle studies the ancient myths and legends of dragons.” She shifted forwards to draw Sir Gareth’s gaze away, leaving Uncle Parry to safely withdraw from the conversation, as was always his preference. “Unlike some members of Society, he doesn’t see them as mere fashionable accessories.”
“I see. And yet, he’s not the only member of the family with a particular interest in them, is he, Miss Tregarth? Earlier today ... do remind me, what was it exactly that you wished to ask me in the beginning, before your fiancé so obviously stopped you?” Sir Gareth bared his teeth in a triumphant smile even as Uncle Parry, no longer listening, began scribbling rapid notes in the commonplace book he’d been gripping tightly shut until then. “Not about dragons, that gentleman claimed at the time. But—”
“Fiancé?” Serena’s eyes widened.
“Fiancé?” Georgie grinned. “I say, coz ...”
Their mother spoke over them both, her voice suddenly high-pitched with tension. “What—Rose, dear, I must—what—?”
Before Aunt Parry could finish forming her question, the door slammed open with a crash.
Alone and dragon-free in the centre of the doorway, with his rumpled fair hair standing up in multiple directions, Mr Aubrey ignored the rest of the assembled company to turn his burning gaze directly to Rose. “There you are! I must speak with you immediately.”
Rose opened her mouth to respond to everyone ...
And then she slammed her lips shut again to hold back a gasp as a warm, draconic snout poked inquisitively at the back of her stockinged right calf, through the skirt of her gown.
It was impossible. The door had been closed until Mr Aubrey’s appearance!
But when she had shifted forwards to draw Sir Gareth’s attention, she had left a hollow of empty space between her skirts and the sofa where she and Georgie sat ...
And now, with the worst imaginable timing, the little dragon had appeared out of nowhere to fill it.
Chapter 7
In certain situations, only the most Gothic of solutions could be imagined.
“Ohhh!” Throwing one hand to her forehead, Rose collapsed onto the floor in a dramatic swoon.
Of course, she took care to twist her body as she fell. She had to cover the dragon’s scaley body with her own – thank heavens for the voluminous old gown she still wore, that treasure of dowdiness from her aunt and uncle’s attic! A fashionably thin muslin morning gown would have been useless, but these shapeless brown folds, carefully swept in the right direction, provided a perfect hiding place for her unexpected visitor as cries of concern – both human and canine – broke out across the room and she curled herself carefully around the nervous little beast, her face shielded from view.
“I don’t know how you came here,” she whispered as the dragon wriggled and turned to meet her gaze. “But you mustn’t stay! If—”
“If there are really no smelling salts to be found, I could always volunteer the rest of my tea to be splashed over her.” Sir Gareth’s sardonic voice cut through all the rest. “I can promise that it’s more than watery enough.”
The little dragon’s body erupted into rippling shivers of panic. She squirmed frantically in Rose’s grip.
“Shh!” Rose hissed. “Just ... stay quiet ... and—”
“Ruff ruff ruff!” Cwtch’s full weight landed on Rose’s back as he let loose a deafening volley of canine concern.
With a quiet pop! of pressure in the air, the dragon abruptly vanished from the space between Rose’s arms ...
And Cwtch leapt all over her, lavishing her with joyful wet licks of relief.
“That’s enough, Cwtch!” Rose gasped as she struggled to ward him off. “I’m fine now. No, really—”
“Come on, boy. Let her breathe!” Georgie pulled Cwtch away, leaving Rose prone but unburdened on the carpet. Aunt Parry, Beth and Serena hovered in a worried semicircle around them, flanked by Mr Aubrey and Uncle Parry. As Beth and Serena both bombarded Rose with respective exclamations of horror and delight, Georgie added more quietly, “I’ve never known you to swoon before, coz. Not feeling quite the thing?”
“I ...” Rose broke off as Sir Gareth shouldered his way impatiently past her relatives to glower down at her with open suspicion.
“If you please.” He snapped off the words as he extended one large hand. “Do allow me to assist you.”
Rose raised her eyebrows at the brusque gallantry ... and caught his hard gaze sliding past her. Aha. Had he glimpsed some hint of the little dragon, after all?
