Necropolis (Royal Sorceress Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

you take her to jail,” she said, with an icy firmness that reminded Gwen of several much older girls. “I won’t !”
    Gwen was tempted to point out that it had been Susan who’d killed Madame Constant, but held her tongue. Susan had been conditioned to believe that her friend would pay the price for her misdeeds; even now, even after someone had died, she still clung to the fear of her friend being punished. Perhaps the whole concept of the whipping girl worked after all ... Gwen considered it briefly, then shook her head. It was cruel, heartless and thoroughly unpleasant.
    “She won’t go to jail,” Gwen assured her. In crimes involving magic, it was her judgement that was final. Besides, it was an established point of law that accidental magic, unleashed when the magician first came into his or her powers, wasn’t a criminal offence. “But neither of you can stay here. You’ll both come back with me to Cavendish Hall.”
    Susan’s eyes lit up. “You’ll teach me how to use magic?”
    “Someone definitely will,” Gwen said. The British Empire needed all the magic-users it could get, even if they happened to be born female. Besides, Susan was clearly powerful if she’d managed to create such a realistic illusion and leave it in place for several hours. “And you won’t have to worry about Madame Constant ever again.”
    She watched as the two girls shared a long hug, knowing that one day they would realise that they’d actually killed someone, no matter how unpleasant she’d been. Gwen herself hadn’t handled the knowledge very well, other magicians had merely taken it in their stride or had a few rough nights before they came to terms with the simple fact that they’d ended a person’s life. It wouldn’t be easy for them at Cavendish Hall – they’d be younger than most of the students there – but it was the best place for them. Besides, it would be a good chance for them to catch up on their education in other matters too.
    “Come on,” she said. “The carriage is waiting.”
    The two girls followed her out of the forest, muttering excitedly to one another. Gwen smiled, remembering her own enthusiasm when she’d finally been allowed to attend Cavendish Hall, then schooled her face into a blank expression when she saw Lady Elizabeth striding across the lawn towards them. Her face was set in grim lines that Gwen recognised from her own mother, the absolute certainty that she was in the right combined with a reluctance to listen to anyone else. Gwen gritted her teeth in cold determination, then stepped forward. There was no point in handing someone like Lady Elizabeth the chance to get their word in first.
    “I will be taking the girls back with me to Cavendish Hall,” she said, shortly. “Susan and Jo will each be allowed to bring one bag of clothing and a handful of treasured possessions. Any ... paperwork relating to Jo will be transferred to me and handled by my lawyers. There will be time, later on, for Lady Fanny to visit her daughter, but for the moment it is vitally important that she finds her feet at Cavendish Hall.”
    Lady Elizabeth’s mouth fell open. No sounds emerged.
    “Go get a bag of clothing each,” Gwen ordered the girls. She waited for them to run past Lady Elizabeth and into the manor, then looked back at Lady Elizabeth. “Madame Constant’s body is to be placed in a sealed coffin and shipped to Cavendish Hall for disposal, along with any personal possessions she might have. I shall expect to receive them within the next two days.”
    “But ...” Lady Elizabeth finally managed to stammer.
    Gwen gave her a completely sweet, completely fake smile. “You will say nothing about the affair here to anyone,” she continued. Lady Elizabeth could probably be relied upon to cover the whole affair up, but it was well to make sure of it. “The firemen will be dismissed, with enough money to ensure they hold their tongues. I do not want a single word to get into the