"But so many of them are on Benedicts side," said Charlotte. "They want to see me fail. I just dont know who I can trust. "
"You can trust us," said Will. "Send me. And Jem. "
"What about me?" said Jessamine indignantly.
"What about you? You dont really want to go, do you?"
Jessamine lifted a corner of the damp cloth off her eyes to glare. "On some smel y train all the way up
to deadly dull Yorkshire? No, of course not. I just wanted Charlotte to say she could trust me. "
"I can trust you, Jessie, but youre clearly not well enough to go. Which is unfortunate, since Aloysius always had a weakness for a pretty face. "
"Even more reason why I should go," said Will.
"Will, Jem . . . " Charlotte bit her lip. "Are you sure? The Council was hardly best pleased by the independent actions you took in the matter of Mrs.
Dark. "
"Well, they ought to be. We kil ed a dangerous demon!" Will protested.
"And we saved Church," said Jem.
"Somehow I doubt that counts in our favor," said Will. "That cat bit me three times the other night. "
"That probably does count in your favor," said Tessa. "Or Jems, at least. "
Will made a face at her, but didnt seem angry; it was the sort of face he might have made at Jem had the other boy mock insulted him. Perhaps they real y could be civil to each other, Tessa thought. He had been quite kind to her in the library the night before last.
"It seems a fools errand," said Charlotte. The red splotches on her skin were beginning to fade, but she looked miserable. "He isnt likely to tell you anything if he knows I sent you. If only-"
"Charlotte," Tessa said, "there is a way we could make him tell us. "
Charlotte looked at her in puzzlement. "Tessa, what do you-" She broke off then, light dawning in her eyes. "Oh, I see. Tessa, what an excel ent idea. "
"Oh, what?" demanded Jessamine from the chaise. "What idea?"
"If something of his could be retrieved," said Tessa, "and given to me, I could use it to Change into him. And perhaps access his memories. I could tel you what he recol ects about Mortmain and the Shades, if anything at all. "
"Then, youl come with us to Yorkshire," said Jem.
Suddenly all eyes in the room were on Tessa. Thoroughly startled, for a moment she said nothing.
"She hardly needs to accompany us," said Will. "We can retrieve an object and bring it back to her here. "
"But Tessas said before that she needs to use something that has strong associations for the wearer," said Jem. "If what we select turns out to be insufficient-"
"She also said she can use a nail clipping, or a strand of hair-"
"So youre suggesting we take the train up to York, meet a ninety-year-old man, leap on him, and yank out his hair? Im sure the Clave Will be ecstatic. "
"Theyl just say youre mad," said Jessamine. "They already think it, so whats the difference, real y?"
"Its up to Tessa," said Charlotte. "Its her power youre asking to use; it should be her decision. "
"Did you say wed be taking the train?" Tessa asked, looking over at Jem.
He nodded, his silver eyes dancing. "The Great Northern runs trains out of Kings Cross all day long," he said. "Its only a matter of hours. "
"Then, Ill come," said Tessa. "Ive never been on a train. "
Will threw up his hands. "Thats it? Youre coming because youve never been on a train before?"
"Yes," she said, knowing how much her calm demeanor drove him mad. "I should like to ride in one, very much. "
"Trains are great dirty smoky things," said Will. "You wont like it. "
Tessa was unmoved. "I wont know if I like it until I try it, Will I?"
"Ive never swum naked in the Thames, but I know I wouldnt like it. "
"But think how entertaining for sightseers," said Tessa, and she saw Jem duck his head to hide the quick flash of his grin. "Anyway, it doesnt matter. I wish to go, and I shall. When do we leave?"
Will rol ed his eyes, but Jem was still grinning. "Tomorrow morning. That way wel arrive well before dark. "
"Ill have to send Aloysius a message saying to expect you," said Charlotte, picking up her pen. She paused, and looked up at them all. "Is this a dreadful idea? I-I feel as if I cannot be sure. "
Tessa looked at her worriedly-seeing Charlotte like this, doubting her own instincts, made her hate Benedict Lightwood and his cohorts even more than she already did.
It was Henry who stepped up and put a gentle hand on his wifes shoulder.
"The only alternative seems to be doing nothing, dearest Charlotte," he said.
"And doing nothing, I find, rarely accomplishes anything. Besides, what could go wrong?"
"Oh, by the Angel, I wish you hadnt asked that," replied Charlotte with fervor, but she bent over the paper and began to write.
That afternoon was Tessas and Sophies second training session with the Lightwoods. Having changed into her gear, Tessa left her room to find Sophie waiting for her in the corridor. She was dressed to train as well, her hair knotted up expertly behind her head, and a dark expression on her face.
"Sophie, what is it?" Tessa inquired, fal ing into step beside the other girl.
"You look quite out of countenance. "
"Well, if you must know . . . " Sophie dropped her voice. "Its Bridget. "
"Bridget?" The Irish girl had been nearly invisible in the kitchen since shed arrived, unlike Cyril, who had been here and there about the house, doing errands like Sophie. The last memory Tessa had of Bridget involved her sitting atop Gabriel Lightwood with a knife. She let herself dwel on it pleasantly for a moment. "Whats she done?"
"She just . . . " Sophie let out a gusty sigh. "She isnt very amiable. Agatha was my friend, but Bridget-well, we have a way of talking, among us servants, you know, usual y, but Bridget just wont. Cyrils friendly enough, but Bridget just keeps to herself in the kitchen, singing those awful Irish bal ads of hers. Id wager shes singing one now. "