The man was also sipping tea. A plate of cookies balanced on his knees. It was the treatment any guest would receive, except that most guests would have been seen in the parlor.
Jonathan stood in the middle of the floor, arms crossed, frowning, staring at the stranger. He stood like a guard. Apparently, the kitchen was good enough for this particular guest.
Tereza sat at the table with Konrad and Blaine. They were the audience. Whether they were here to see a real live mage or to witness what Jonathan would do in the presence of one was unclear. It was certainly going to be entertaining either way.
"I am Gersalius, a wizard. I am told you have some magic of your own, Elaine."
She glanced at Jonathan's scowling face. "I don't think of it as magic."
The mage settled back in the chair, one hand steadying the plate of cookies. "Then what do you call it?"
She shrugged. "Just visions."
"Tell me about these. . visions," Gersalius said.
Elaine sipped the hot tea, not sure what to say. "Do you want me to describe them?"
"If you like."
She narrowed her eyes, trying not to frown. Jonathan was doing enough of that for everyone. But the mage was being. . frustrating.
"What do you want of me?"
"To help you."
"How?"
"For someone who has magical abilities, you are very suspicious."
Elaine looked down. "I don't know what you want me to say."
"Enough of these word games," Jonathan said. "Can you help her or not?" He stood over them like a tall, disapproving cloud.
"Mr. Ambrose, if Elaine had fallen ill and you had called in a doctor, would you be telling him how to do his job?"
"So far, you have done nothing."
Gersalius sighed. "The girl has magic powers. She sparkles to the eye that can see it."
"She has visions; that is all."
Gersalius stood, tea and cookies in hand. "If you insist on arguing with me at every point, I cannot help her."
"Good, then go," Jonathan said.
Tereza said, "Jonathan." That one word held something hard, almost threatening.
Jonathan turned to her. "He has done nothing but speak in riddles since he entered our house."
"You have not allowed him to do much of anything, Jonathan."
"Elaine is not a mage."
"Jonathan," Tereza's voice was gentle but firm, "she nearly died today. It was her vision that nearly killed her. The visions are magic of some kind. We need to know what happened."
"She is not a mage," he said.
"And if she is?" Tereza asked.
Jonathan closed his mouth with an audible snap. He turned away from them all.
Elaine huddled in the chair, the tea forgotten in her hands. Would he send her away if she were a mage? Would she be cast out of the only home she'd known?
Mala came up behind her, placing her hands on Elaine's shoulders. "You'll not be sending her away."
"If we're not wanted," Blaine said, "we can go." His voice was warm with anger. He was struggling to his feet.
"Sit down, Blaine," Konrad said. "No one is sending Elaine away." His voice was very firm when he said it.
Elaine turned in the chair to see. Konrad's green eyes were sparkling, the lines in his face tight with anger.
Would he have been this outraged over anyone's leaving, or was this especially for her? Elaine's face lit with a heat that had nothing to do with the potential loss of her home.
Tereza stood up. "Jonathan, you had better make yourself very clear on this issue."
He spread his hands wide. "Well, of course, Elaine will stay, no matter what. This is her home." But there was something in his voice that made Elaine shrink against the chair back. A hesitation, as if he had more to say but left it unspoken. If she were indeed a mage, Jonathan would never make peace with it. Not really.
She didn't want to be a mage. The visions were bad enough.
"Sit down, Gersalius," Tereza said. "Jonathan and I were just leaving so you could get on with your work."
Jonathan opened his mouth to protest. She stopped him with a small gesture. "We need to talk, Husband. And the wizard needs to see to Elaine."
She rarely called him husband. When she did, it was usually the beginning of a quarrel, or at least a disagreement.
Jonathan stood very straight. "If you say so, Wife." Anger was plain in his voice.
"I say so." She left the room first, and he followed.
There was silence for a time, then Gersalius sat down and said, "Describe one of your visions for me, Elaine. Please."
Elaine sipped her tea. She didn't want to talk to the wizard. It wasn't just wanting to avoid strife. Jonathan had taught them well. Magic could be useful, but it was easily turned to evil.
"I don't want to do magic," she said softly.
Gersalius's smile widened. "Child, magic is not a choice. I have known men who wanted more than life itself to do magic but had not the talent. You cannot force magic into your body, nor can you rid yourself of it if it is a natural ability."