The Eye Of The Gazer
Chapter 26
It was almost two o'clock, and Jane Currer was checking that Bryony was clean and tidy. The young witch had just started her education once more after recovering from her second near death experience: for although the Draught of Living Death was not designed to kill its victims, it still required a period of convalescence until the sufferer was entirely well again.
If anyone had asked Jane what was the cause of Bryony's last illness, she too would have recited the story of the phantom fur balls, for Lucius had performed a second "Obliviate" charm on her, and had placed in her memory the story told to the rest of the family.
Jane had reintroduced Bryony gently to the world of learning, with two days of lessons involving more play than study, and today had concluded with Bryony enthusiastically drawing a picture of her ward at St Mungo's, peopled by her favourite Mediwitches, with a colourful Madam Luxor in lime green robes as the centre of attention. Bryony loved drawing, but usually coloured herself, and the voluminous apron Jane insisted she wore, at least as much as the parchment. A diligent application of soap and water followed by a final "Scourgify" from Jane's wand was always necessary to remove the last traces of Muggle ink, that was so much more permanent than the vegetable-based dyes of the wizarding world.
Jane was about to take Bryony to fetch her warm cloak, and then go with her into the garden, when there was a knock at the door, and in walked Lucius Malfoy. It was the first time Jane had seen Lucius since she and Bryony had left Malfoy Manor to return to Gildenford Hall. She looked at him in much the same way as a rabbit caught in the light of a lantern; but the small child demanding his attention momentarily distracted Lucius' attention away from her governess, and Jane had chance to compose herself as Bryony insisted that her father admire her picture. This time he did not need to guess the subject, for Bryony pointed out everything to him. "Miss Currer says I can send it to Madam Luxor to say thank you," she said proudly, "But I have to wait till tomorrow when the ink is all dry."
"And how will Madam Luxor know it's from you?" asked Lucius gravely, but with a twinkle in his eye. "She probably has another little girl to make better now. She cures little girls all the time, she's a very clever Healer. I expect she has a roomful of pictures from grateful little girls. I think you should write your name on the picture, then she can show everyone, 'Look at this lovely picture from Bryony Chang.' I'm sure Miss Currer will give you a piece of parchment to practise on first, so that your signature looks just as nice as your drawing."
Jane smiled at this devious way to get Bryony to practise her handwriting, and as she did so Lucius turned and saw her face. He smiled back, and the way he looked at her made Jane's stomach turn to water, and her knees almost gave way underneath her.
"May I escort you two ladies into the garden?" Lucius said, the knowing glint still in his eye. Bryony giggled at being addressed in such a manner, and Jane could not prevent the corners of her mouth from lifting too.
The three of them spent a very pleasant hour outside. Chilly, blustery autumn had turned unexpectedly into an Indian Summer. It was possible to enjoy the open parkland without being buffeted by the wind. They walked all the way round the lake, admiring the reds and golds of the trees. Bryony loved the swans, and had to be dissuaded from trying to tempt one to follow her inside the Hall so that she could keep it as a pet. Lucius settled the matter when he told her that the swan and Nudge would not make good companions at all.
Jane assumed that they would end their walk in the walled garden as usual, but Lucius seemed determined to avoid entering it today. As they reached the Hall once more, he said quietly to Jane, "Send Bryony to the kitchen. The house elves can give her biscuits and a drink, and take care of her for a while. I would like to speak to you."
Lucius led Jane back outside. "Are you tired after our walk, Jane?" he asked her. "We can sit down, but I would prefer not to be overheard. We shall go to the pavilion by the lake. Hold on to my hand, and I will apparate us both there." Jane soon found herself transported swiftly by side-along apparition directly to the stone pavilion. Lucius spread out his long travelling cloak on the stone seat, and folded it over to form a padded layer, on which he invited Jane to sit. As he was still wearing the cloak, this necessitated sitting very close beside him, and being partially engulfed in the garment. Lucius tucked her arm into his, and Jane could feel the warmth of his body touching hers. He turned, and grey eyes looked into grey eyes.
"Jane," he began, "I have something to tell you, and then something to ask you. The thing I have to tell you is that Cho and I are now fully reconciled: we have spoken together frankly, and have decided that we should once more live under the same roof."
At this news, although it was not entirely surprising, Jane felt her heart sink. Unable to trust herself to reply, she merely nodded her head to indicate that she had heard and understood.
Lucius then said, "Gildenford Hall is a pleasant place, is it not?"
"Yes, I like it very much."
"You must have become in some degree attached to the house. I believe you have a good deal of affection for the place?"
"I am very attached to it."
"And I perceive that you have a great regard for my self-willed little Bryony too; and even for Madam Chang, in spite of her severe manner."
"Yes, Lucius; I love Bryony, if that is not a great presumption on my part; and I have some affection for Madam Chang, whose manner disguises a kind heart."
"And would you be sorry to part with them?"
"Yes, I would." Jane began to be fearful as to where this was leading. But she could not believe that Lucius would, or even could, sack her; for she had been appointed by Madam Chang on behalf of Cho, and this was not Lucius' house.
"A pity!" said Lucius. He paused awhile, then continued, "It is always the way of events in this life. No sooner have you settled in a pleasant resting place, than a voice calls out to you to rise and move on, for the hour of repose is expired."
"Must I leave Gildenford Hall, Lucius?" she whispered, the pain in her chest unbearable.
"Yes, Jane, I believe you must."
"Well, then I shall be ready to leave when Miss Chang decides to advise me accordingly." In spite of her unhappiness, she allowed herself a moment of defiance: it was not Lucius' place to terminate her employment.
Then she heard Lucius say, "Jane, do you love me?"
Jane's eyes widened, and she drew away from him. A small fire of rebellion burned in her wounded heart, and she replied a little sharply, "Lucius, this is a very cruel thing you ask me. You and Miss Chang now have each other again, and yet you seek to amuse yourself by eliciting my feelings. It is hard enough to see you together without this exposure." There were tears in her eyes now, but she remained straight-backed and defiant.
"That was not my aim, Jane," he said softly. "If the question was impertinent, I apologise. You do not need to answer. It is only that, dearest Jane, I love you."
Jane could not believe her ears. She stared at Lucius, and said, "But you love Miss Chang! You told me you two are now reconciled. I know I was merely a convenience while you were estranged, and a source of amusement to flatter your vanity while Miss Chang was away. You have just told me I must leave. Why do you say this to me?"
"Because it is true. I told Cho that I loved you when I admitted our relationship."
Jane looked aghast at Lucius. "You told her about us?" she said, colour draining from her face.
"Jane, I did not volunteer this information," replied Lucius gently. "She guessed. Also, Madam Chang saw far more than Cho, as did the house elves. It is very difficult to keep secrets in a house full of servants and family portraits. Cho then asked me if all was true, as she and her grandmother had deduced. What could I then say? I have always tried to be truthful with Cho, as with you. Not mentioning a thing is not the same as telling a falsehood."
Jane saw the truth of this statement. So Madam Chang's watchfulness and Lucius' honesty now spelled the end of her time here at Gildenford Hall. She decided that she must know her fate. "Does Miss Chang now plan to sack me?" she asked quietly.
"No, Jane, she does not. She does not want to lose you, for Bryony's sake. But she will understand should you decide to leave us of your own free will. I am urged to impress on you that Cho wishes you to stay here."
"Thank you. I am pleased that my work is considered satisfactory," replied Jane stiffly. "But you, on the other hand, wish that I should leave of my own accord."
"You are a very good teacher, and Bryony loves you. But Jane, that is not all I must say to you.
"I am commissioned by Cho to present you with a proposition. Ideally, we should all three be together for this, but Cho and I felt it would far too much resemble facing a committee if you had to deal with both of us. This proposition is – let us say - unusual.
"Firstly, I must tell you that I love both of you, Cho and you, Jane. Not in the same way, it is true, but nevertheless I feel that it is truly love in each case. I care deeply for both of you, and do not wish to hurt either of you. This proposal comes from Cho; I would never have thought such a thing possible, and it shows her great generosity of spirit.
"You know of course that Cho is Chinese. She told me that her great grandmother was concubine to a warlock in Imperial China. He had a wife and three concubines; her great grandmother was the number two concubine. Such things were once commonplace in China: a wealthy man would take a wife and as many concubines as his fancy and his pocket allowed. These women usually had no choice in the matter, they had to learn to live with each other, in harmony or otherwise. It was very difficult for Cho's great grandmother much of the time because the wife disliked her; but she had a friend in the number one concubine, so all was not bad.
"For modern witches things are very different. You have the free choice to stay with a man or to go. You can choose whom you love, you are not sold to the highest bidder. And it is by Cho's own free will that she asks you to be joint consort to me with her."
Jane was dumbstruck. In a few short moments she had travelled from the pain of perceived mockery and the fear of losing her employment and her present home, to an outrageous offer the like of which she had never before encountered. Such a solution would never, ever have occurred to her. Jane did not even know if she believed it was really possible to set up such a ménage à trois outwith a certain type of fiction, or even how she truly felt about such an arrangement.
The impossibility of ever having Lucius had now become a very real possibility; but could she share this man with another? This way, she need not leave her beloved Bryony; but she would always be the teacher, not the mother.
But, said another voice in her head, you too may be a mother one day, and Lucius would be the child's father. The idea of bearing the child of Lucius Malfoy, and the act of creating that child, filled Jane with so many emotions that she pushed the thought away to the back of her mind, fearing that her reaction would be written across her honest face.
"We do not expect an answer immediately," continued Lucius. "Take as long to think it over as you need. We realise that the idea is outrageous and slightly shocking, and that we would all three of us be regarded askance by some respectable members of the wizarding community, who may refuse to receive us. You must make up your own mind according to your own moral code."
Jane Currer sat beside Lucius Malfoy in stunned silence, hardly able to comprehend the audacity of the proposal just presented to her.
Lucius looked down at her neat, smooth head, and wondered again if he was entirely selfish to make such an offer to this young woman, so old in some ways, and yet so innocent in others; if he was selfish to agree to this suggestion from Cho after all they had been through together. At first, he had been convinced that Cho was merely being selfless for his sake, but at last he had seen that she was sincere. She too had been a mistress once, now she was the equivalent of a wife she could afford to be generous; and she had dreamed up this essentially Chinese solution.
Lucius lifted Jane's chin gently, and kissed her on the mouth. She did not resist.