“We grow them in our conservatory,” Madam Fairborn said from behind him. “And we help them bloom all year long.”
“With a touch of magic?” Galen said with a smile.
“Always,” she replied with a wink. “You must be Galen. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“You as well.” He bowed his head.
Madam Fairborn was an attractive lady with strawberry-blonde hair and a heart-shaped face. She was undoubtedly more engaging than Madam Langley—her aura was brighter—and Galen was eager to learn more, both about her and about the moon flowers. Miss Celestine had mentioned that the moon flowers had many uses, and Madam Fairborn obviously cultivated them. Was that how the two ladies initially bonded? He would have been none the wiser, but thanks to Oscar and the others, he now knew they met weekly and were likely secretly betrothed to one another.
And if he didn’t know it before, he would now, because Madam Fairborn’s cheeks blushed prettily when Wren handed her the correspondence from Madam Langley. He could see why Madam Langley would find her pleasing.
She tugged a letter from the pocket of her apron. It bore a similar wax seal, and he imagined them exchanging love letters, which would be highly romantic and something unexpected from Madam Langley, who seemed more pragmatic.
“Your friend Agnes has been very helpful in the kitchens,” Madam Fairborn said, breaking him out of his thoughts. “But I’m afraid she’s not here at the moment; she’s gone to the butcher for this evening’s meal.”
“I’m glad to hear she’s well.” Galen smiled. “Please give her my regards.”
“Of course,” she said, then motioned to two pleasing-looking women wrapping packages behind the counter in brown butcher paper. It occurred to him then that just like Galen and the twins helped wherever it was needed at Moon Flower, so did these young women, who might’ve shared similar stories of escaping their homes. He felt a kinship to them, in more ways than one.
“Here are the supplies Madam Langley requested,” Madam Fairborn said, and Galen followed the twins to the counter, where he stacked several packages in his arms for transport to the carriage.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” Galen turned to meet Madam Fairborn’s warm gaze. “Azriel asked me to inquire about—”
“Lavender. I know he’s eager for it,” she said with a smile. “But our seedlings have not yet sprouted.”
She followed Galen onto the street, and just as they were bidding her farewell, the outline of her aura changed to flickers of red, her lips thinning in barely restrained indignation.
“What do we have here?” The constable’s tone made Galen stiffen. He turned to see the towering man, whose permanent scowl matched his gray outline.
“We are on an errand for Madam Langley,” Wren said in a singsong voice that for once didn’t match his eyes. The man unnerved even the sunniest of them.
“And who is this?” he asked of Galen.
He looked to Madam Fairborn for guidance, and her jaw was tense as she gave him a brief nod.
“I’m a new employee at Moon Flower,” Galen said, suddenly glad that the constable hadn’t taken stock of him the time he was assisting Oscar with supplies at the apothecary. Certainly not like he was now, his gaze scrutinizing Galen from head to foot.
“You look familiar,” he said, stepping closer, and Galen tried not to squirm. “Have I seen you about town? In front of the tavern or gambling hall, perhaps?”
His heart catapulted to his throat. “No, I—”
“Run along now, lads,” Madam Fairborn said in a booming tone just as Galen began to tremble. Wren yanked on his arm to urge him into the carriage. “Madam Langley will have other errands for them to run.”
“I’m sure,” the constable replied, leering at Galen in a way that made him uncomfortable. He remembered how scared Azriel had been, and he felt it then—the man was unnerving when he directed his attention your way.
He blew out a breath as soon as the carriage began moving.
“Bastard,” Wren grumbled, but immediately brightened when Sparrow reached for him and entwined their fingers. Galen rubbed at his chest, feeling that stitch of longing again.
Chapter 18
Upon their return to Moon Flower, the first thing they did was unload and arrange the supplies. Galen was desperate to speak to Azriel about the encounter, but he’d been sent on another errand by Madam Langley.
Neither Azriel nor Madam Langley were present at dinner, as the twins recounted their visit to Enchantment and the constable’s inquiry of Galen.
Percy swallowed a hearty bite of the pheasant Miss Celestine had served them, and asked, “You can tell if someone is wicked, right?”
“In the simplest terms, yes,” Galen replied. “I liken it to seeing what is at the heart of them—in colors.”
“And what of the constable?”
He didn’t want to alarm them, but he also didn’t want to conceal the truth. After all, they knew to steer clear of the man well before Galen had arrived.