Chapter 2 #3
Something flared in his face, his eyes widening and the colour rising in his cheeks. ‘Not a mating call. It’s more… familial. And it worked, didn’t it? You might want to learn about your pet, if you are to keep her safe.’
Jade stretched out her neck so he could stroke it again. Cooing. The little turncoat.
Portia held out her own hand and Dr Turner relinquished the dragon with a smile for Jade, carefully passing over the jesses.
As she took the dragon, Portia’s fingers inadvertently brushed against his – warm, strong, competent…
The thaumaturgic response shivered through her and Jade looked up at her sharply, cocking her head on one side, no doubt feeling the magic crackling beneath Portia’s skin.
Dragons were always sensitive to such things.
Well, they were creatures of magic themselves when you got down to it, or at least the great dragons were, and the teacup dragons carried traces of that, Great-Aunt Iris suspected.
Why it was happening now, and why with this obnoxious man, was anyone’s guess.
No, it made sense. Emotions always exacerbated the effects of magic and indignation was an emotion, after all.
So was loathing. Nothing more than that. He was profoundly irritating.
Carefully, Portia made sure she had a gentle but secure grip on Jade’s jesses and stepped back from him.
Dr Turner flexed his hand for a moment, staring at it as if trying to work out what he was feeling.
Not used to the touch of magic then. Not familiar with it.
That was probably just as well. When he noticed her watching him, he folded his hands behind his back and reverted to glowering.
Portia turned her whole attention to Jade. The dragon was tired now, satiated and really rather smug. She wrapped her long tail around Portia’s wrist and curled up with her head under her wing to sleep.
Now she wanted to sleep.
‘Well, that was quite the drama,’ said David as he joined them. ‘But no harm done. No worse than sailing through a squall.’
‘Yes,’ Portia replied hollowly. ‘No harm done. I’ll take her back to my room. I truly am sorry, David. Can you ask the innkeeper to bill me for any damage?’
Dr Turner was still glaring at her, his dark blue eyes intense. He cut in before David could reply.
‘You really need to learn how to care for a dragon, even a small breed like that, if you have the good fortune to own one. She could have been badly hurt. As a new owner—’
‘Who says I’m a new owner?’ Portia snapped, thoroughly fed up with his presumption.
His smile came back, just on the edge of mocking, and his eyes sparkled with amusement at her annoyance.
‘Are you not? You said it was a new situation. How long have you had her?’ Unable to answer, Portia bit her lower lip.
For Wenn’s sake, she knew all about teacup dragons.
It was unavoidable given her upbringing.
Jade was just… challenging. That was all.
They were just getting to know each other.
She’d be far more wary in future. Unfortunately, Turner read her silence as something else.
‘Yes, I thought as much. Learn quickly, young lady. There are many fine books on the subject of their care. I could give you a list, if you will. Or if you don’t care to read, visit Lady Iris Starling when you reach the island.
She will no doubt give you all the information you need.
That is a living creature you have the care of, not a fashion accessory.
You can keep the jesses. They’re for her safety as much as anything else. ’
He bowed curtly before she could answer, which was just as well because she was too flabbergasted to form any kind of reply and when she did, she wouldn’t want to be him.
Turner walked away, heading for a table.
There were only three chairs left, one of which was clearly David’s. The other two were side by side.
Portia stared after him in horror, trying to imagine sitting beside him and being lectured at for the whole dinner. Beside her she heard a choked laugh. She turned on David, who looked entirely unrepentant, even when faced with her fury.
‘Who is that?’ she snapped.
‘Someone who is going to have the worst day of his life tomorrow, I suspect. Come, Portia, I’m sure he doesn’t mean to be rude.
He’s worried about your little dragon, that’s all.
Imagine what your great-aunt would have said in the same circumstances.
It would have been blistering. And as I stole his room for you he was probably in a bad mood to begin with. ’
‘His room? Oh David, really.’
‘I hardly put him in the brig. He’s fine.’
‘He said he was sleeping in the stable!’
‘An exaggeration. It’s a room over the stable. It just meant he had to run through the rain to get here. He swore to me he didn’t mind when I asked.’ He offered her his arm. ‘Will you join me? I’m sure I can make peace between you over dinner, especially when he learns who you really are.’
Oh, great Wenn, he was expecting her to sit beside that man for dinner? To make polite conversation? Absolutely not.
She needed to stow her dragon safely away in the room, and she was in no mood for inane conversation.
Her whole world was falling apart and that man had the gall to imply she knew nothing about dragon husbandry when she had risked her whole career to protect this one little creature.
Besides, her hair was more haystack than hairstyle, and other people were staring at her with prurient interest, whether they knew who she was or not.
Oh, she could imagine the rumours and gossip which would spill out onto Starling Island the moment they docked in the morning.
Not to mention the news that Portia Starling had caused a scene with a dragon here as well winging its way back to Tesh.
When they heard about this at the Academy she’d be a laughing stock.
‘I think… I think I shall just retire. It has been a very long day already.’ That was not a lie. She was bone-tired and the risk of treacherous tears was becoming more and more marked by the second. ‘Perhaps someone could bring me a tray, if you don’t mind. I have something of a headache brewing.’
‘Portia?’ David sounded concerned all of a sudden, his good humour draining away. ‘Portia, what is it?’
She was not going to cry. Not here and now, in front of everyone. She was a Starling. That meant something. She plastered a bright smile on and tried not to meet his worried gaze.
‘Nothing. Not to worry. I’m fine. Just as I said, very tired. And I need to see to Jade. Please, David, just…’ Her voice caught in her throat and before he could take her hand or offer some kind of comfort that would utterly destroy her, she turned and fled.
It was too much. It was all too much. The moment she got home, her family would know about her disgrace.
August would try to be patient, and no doubt David would tell him every detail about tonight.
Ophelia would be there with countless little acts that were meant to be comforting and would just end up being irritating.
Seb would find a way to blame himself which would just make her feel even worse.
And Iris… well, Iris would probably be more concerned about the dragon.
At least she wouldn’t have to see the odious Dr Turner ever again.