“You asked about golden streaks when you arrived,” she reminded him. “You seemed to think that only dragons who possessed such streaks could perform nigh-on magical feats.”
Was that why her overactive imagination had produced just such a dragon for the vision Griff had given her of Elinor, a dragon, and that terrible rake?
“It was my working theory at the time.” He sighed. “Naturally, it couldn’t last even a full day after my arrival here. If I could only work out the true common denominator ...”
“They are dragons, Aubrey. What further commonality do they need?” Uncle Parry thumped his desk with one fist, making Rose startle in her seat. “For years, I have been trying to tell you and everyone else—!”
“That must be why Sir Gareth chose to write to you, then.” Rose didn’t quite dare meet her uncle’s gaze – not yet – but she tilted her face in his direction. “Someone must have mentioned to him that you were the scholar most likely to believe in draconic magic.”
Mr Aubrey made a low, pained sound deep in his throat, but her uncle disregarded it. “No doubt! I’ve been a thorn in the side of many of my colleagues across the years. They” – he looked pointedly at Rose’s not-quite-fiancé – “all claimed that my theories were based on nothing but literary nonsense in the first place, but I knew the old legends must have had some solid base. If you look at the most ancient and formative stories of Wales, all the way back to Myrddin and the red and white dragons that were left to sleep deep underground ...”
As Rose knew, once Uncle Parry had been launched upon this topic, there would be no stopping him without immediate, decisive action.
So, even as Mr Aubrey heatedly began, “Fairy stories ...”
... She was already saying, “I would love to hear more about all of them later, but for now, when was the last time you saw your own dragon? Or at least knew exactly where he was?”
“Ah, now, that’s the question, isn’t it?” Uncle Parry sagged in his seat. “I know Llewellyn was in here earlier. He certainly ate a good breakfast, didn’t he, Aubrey, along with nibbling on one of my shoes. Oh, and after Aubrey left to finish up his own work before abandoning us to join you and my girls in your social gallivanting, Llewellyn spent a fair bit of time napping in my lap while I worked on my new translation of a tale from the Mabinogion. It’s quite an interesting story, actually, and it raises a fair few questions that no one else has considered before.”
Brightening, he reached for a nearby stack of papers on the desk. “Aubrey, did I remember to mention to you earlier—?”
Rose broke into his question with the ease of long practise. “So, he was napping in your lap. At what time, exactly?”
“Oh ...” Uncle Parry flapped one hand indecisively, with a yearning sidelong glance at that tempting stack of papers. “You must know I don’t keep a clock in this room, my dear. There’s no chance of reaching any rich, intellectual epiphanies when one keeps one eye cocked towards the distractions of the outside world.”
“Of course not.” Rose sighed. “Do you at least remember whether we’d left for Penryddn House by then?”
“Hmm. I think that must have been when I heard a deal of commotion downstairs. I realised I’d formed a bit of an appetite of my own by then, so I rang for a light meal to be brought up to the study door. Of course, I expected that I would have to share it, as usual nowadays, but for once Llewellyn didn’t seem to want any for himself. He always vanishes from sight whenever there’s a loud noise, so he’d disappeared the moment Carys rapped upon the door. I thought he’d simply found a new napping place. It wasn’t until an hour ago that I finally began to wonder exactly where he’d got to. He doesn’t ordinarily nap so long, not without causing some sort of mischief in between.”
Uncle Parry gestured wearily at the chaos of chewed books, slippers, and desk legs all around them. “It isn’t precisely that I minded him not causing fresh chaos, you see, but I did worry about what else he might be up to. So, at that point, I began a real search and realised he was no longer in this room at all.”
“Then he must have slipped out when you opened the door for Carys.” Rose tapped one forefinger against her skirts, thinking it through.
“Apparently. But as to where he went from there ...” Uncle Parry threw up his hands in despair. “I’ve been searching the house, to no avail. I couldn’t even call his name without having to answer awkward questions ... and if you think I’d care to explain to your aunt that I’ve committed a desperate crime against our neighbour at the very same moment as revealing to Mrs Davies that I’ve allowed a wild animal to escape in our home to roam the house and raid her pantry ...!”
“Did you check the pantry?” Rose enquired.
“Well, you see, I ... that is ... well, the truth is, I didn’t dare.” He slid down in his seat, his shoulders hunching together. “You know how unaccustomed I am to telling falsehoods. If Mrs Davies had demanded to know what I was doing ...”
“Then that gives us a good place to start.” Nodding firmly, Rose stood just as a loud, decisive knock sounded behind her on the study door.
“Tea and cake have arrived for the starving father!” Georgie carolled loudly through the wooden barrier. “Carys claims that for once, I’m actually allowed inside your den of iniquity, Papa, but I thought I’d better check first. There aren’t any cannons pointed at the door to repel invaders, are there?”
As Uncle Parry shook his head in paternal despair, Rose murmured, “Don’t worry about coming with me, Uncle. I’ll manage Mrs Davies; you may rest, take some refreshment, and explain everything to Georgie. Don’t hold anything back from her, now, please! She knows all about my dragons, and Mr Aubrey can explain anything else that needs saying.” She aimed a bright, brief smile at the tall scholar’s chest as she brushed, unavoidably, past him on her way out of the room with a rustle of embracing fabrics.
“Actually ...” Mr Aubrey cleared his throat above her head. “I’d prefer to accompany you on your search.”
“That is not necessary, I assure you.”
“But—”
“Unlike Penryddn House, this is perfectly safe. You needn’t have any fears for me.”
“Still ...”
“Oh, do go with her, Aubrey, I beg of you.” Uncle Parry let out a piteous groan. “If you knew my daughters better, you might just begin to imagine the levels of scorn about to be heaped upon my head once I reveal all to Georgie. I would prefer not to have any witnesses to my mortification.”
“But—!” Rose had to bite her lip sharply to hold back the rest of the protest that wanted to emerge. Even she knew how nonsensical it would sound ... and she couldn’t bring herself to disappoint her uncle again. “Of course,” she said tightly. “We can search different parts of the house for perfect efficiency.”
