(A Charm of Magpies 1)The Magpie Lord Read Online Free PDF

brought an action—he was a solicitor—against your father’s abuse of his position, for the sake of all the people who needed someone to stand up for them, and Hector Vaudrey—he threatened my mother, and when Father wouldn’t back down—he came to our house—” The wine was slopping over the sides of the glass as his hand shook. “And, after, when Father gave in, they made him sign papers, admissions, of theft and malpractice. Lies. They humiliated him in court, then wherever we went after that, your father’s lawyers made sure the lies were spread about him. If anyone hired him, there would be a letter sooner or later, and he’d be dismissed. Even when he was doing the most menial work, till we were reduced to nothing. There was no money to treat Mother when she fell ill, and—” He swallowed hard, staring with hatred at the arrogant, expressionless Vaudrey features before him. “My father died of a broken heart. Your father broke him.”
    He stopped, too raw to say anything else, waiting to see what defence the man would offer. The silence stretched.
    “I can’t apologise,” said Crane, at last. “It wouldn’t mean anything. Your father was a brave man who tried to do what was right, and mine was a callous, deluded fool who cared about nothing but that repulsive madman Hector.”
    Stephen groped for a response. He had expected dismissiveness, denial, something he could fight. He didn’t know what to do with agreement.
    “The fact that you came here at all, let alone saved my life, suggests that you take after your father,” Crane went on. “I’d like you to believe that I don’t entirely take after mine.”
    “I wasn’t going to help you,” Stephen jerked out. “I was going to tell you to go to hell. I couldn’t even do that.” He sat down abruptly and put his hand over his face.
    “Here.” Crane leaned forward with the bottle. Stephen’s hand, holding his glass, was still shaking. Crane’s fingers closed firmly round Stephen’s wrist, holding the hand and glass steady as he poured, keeping the grip for a couple of seconds afterwards, calming, until Stephen took a deep breath and pulled away.
    “One question.” Crane settled back into his chair. “You mentioned my father’s lawyers. Did you mean Griffin and Welsh?”
    “Yes.”
    Crane nodded. “Mr. Day, I understand entirely why you don’t want to be here and I don’t blame you. I would appreciate it if you could tell me what now needs to happen, though.”
    Stephen took refuge in professional thought. “You need a practitioner to go down to Piper and confirm whether the jack was used to murder your father and brother. He needs to identify the maker, ascertain their motive, bring them to justice.”
    “Justice?”
    “What was done to you is a crime. And if the jack was used on your family, they were murdered. Justice.”
    Crane exchanged glances with Merrick. “How exactly would one go about dealing with murder by magic? It would hardly be something to take to a judge and jury.”
    “Wrong.” Stephen suddenly felt very tired. “There’ll be a judge and jury. Of its kind.”
    Crane nodded. “Very well. Then the question is, are you able to recommend someone, a practitioner, to undertake this?”
    Stephen’s eyes flew to his face. Crane gave him a faintly sardonic look. “Please, Mr. Day, I’m not going to ask you to hunt down my father and Hector’s killer. If you can recommend someone I’d be very grateful. If you can’t, I’ll go back to Rackham, and let him know his favour was well repaid.”
    “I’ll find you someone,” Stephen said. “I’m better placed to do that. They’ll be in touch.”
    “Thank you. Let Merrick have your address. I doubt I’ll see you again, Mr. Day, so accept my thanks. And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry about your father.”
    “Thank you.” Stephen managed a half smile. “I’m sorry about yours.”
    Crane tipped his glass in salute. “Yes. Aren’t we all.”

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