Magic in the Stars Read Online Free PDF

chamber.
    “He should be safe with women,” Jacques agreed, trotting for
the door.
    That hadn’t been what Theo meant, but safe was good, too.
There was no reason to believe anyone had intentionally harmed Duncan, but Theo
damned well wouldn’t let anything else happen to him.
    Standing over Duncan’s unconscious form a few minutes later,
gazing in horror at the gash opening his brother’s head from temple to jaw,
Theo froze inside. He and Duncan had argued over everything from the best time
for breakfast to the size of the observatory. But in his own selfish way, Theo
loved and admired his successful brother, and he’d never ever wanted the overwhelming responsibility that Duncan relished
wielding.
    Lady Azenor had been right in one more thing. Theo belonged
in libraries and under the stars. He would make a perfectly rotten marquess.
    ***
    Early July 1830
    The children are
crawling under the looms, sweeping up stray cotton for their scoundrel
employers, and losing limbs !!!! Wee
children — armless !
    Aunt Gwenna had underlined limbs and armless three
times, forcing Aster to shudder at the images conjured of such a horrible
injury—to a child . She read on,
wondering what her mother’s youngest sister expected her to do about this
tragedy. It wasn’t as if the zodiac predicted an end to mankind’s cruelty.
    Your mother says you
are determined not to marry, which is a most excellent idea if you are able to
use your time helping others instead of pandering to a husband. I have heard
that you have been to see the Marquess of Ashford. He has responded favorably
in the past to our desire to outlaw child labor. You must convince him the need
is immediate and vital to the welfare of the country’s children
and future to stop these depredations for the sake of a few pennies profit.
    Gwenna lived in the north country. She had apparently not
heard of Ashford’s grievous accident. But this reminder of how their families
were connected rumbled uneasily through Aster’s instincts—the danger signs
connecting their families through her were particularly troubling.
    She read on.
    Are you able to train
six-year-olds for safer work? Ones missing a hand? The situation is beyond
deplorable. The workhouse is full of the injured and disabled and the parish is
threatening not to take more.
    Aster wiped angrily at a tear. She wanted to be useful, but
how did one train a six-year-old, much less one missing a limb? Her heart tore
knowing those children were doomed to starve otherwise. She wanted to take a
big stick to the evil men who allowed this to happen.
    And given the latest news from Surrey, she knew the injured marquess
already had more problems than he could handle. She would fare better asking
the new king to help—which was to say, she could do nothing.
    Thinking of the six-year-old brother she hadn’t seen since
infancy, she forced back a need to cry. She had learned grief could be assuaged
by acting on the more practical needs of the moment.
    She resolved to petition the king and the marquess. She could develop a plan for training servants
more quickly than she did now. She would ask Cook if children could be used in
the kitchen or if that would be too dangerous.
    She made notes of all she could do. Then realizing she was
putting off what had to be done, she
reluctantly summoned the woman who had been her stalwart companion these past
months. Jennet hadn’t been the mother that Aster desperately missed, but her
companion had kept her from feeling too alone in the world. She hated to see the
morose lady go.
    When Jennet arrived, Aster settled back in her blue damask
desk chair and regarded her large, black-clad companion with approval, even
though her heart sank at what she had to say.
    “Jennet, you have done an exemplary job these last months.
Not everyone learns to guard their speech and dress in a manner becoming a lady in such a short time. I have no
hesitation in recommending you as companion for Lady Hamilton’s