CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Robin~
Sully was coming to her rescue. She caught his eye and shook her head once. Just the tiniest bit. His own eyes narrowed, but he slowed his dash through the crowded Community Center and allowed Stella Appleby to halt him.
Undoubtedly Stella wanted to explain to him all the ways in which it was unfair that her paintings had not won. Stella was a mid-range psychic with a flair for talking to animals. It was a pity her seascapes did not talk to people.
“It’s a disgrace,” repeated Cal Masters. Cal was a very large sorcerer whose talent for horticulture had made his flower farm an incredible success. Like Robin he had been on the Mystic Bay Town Council for several terms.
He loomed over Robin and waved his drink around to emphasize his point. Perhaps champagne in real glasses had been a mistake. Although Moira had insisted that it gave the correct atmosphere of exclusivity to their makeshift sale room.
“I’m not sure,” she murmured in response, “Just what aspect of Moira’s friendship with Quinn you find so disgraceful.” Cal was the third councilor to take her aside this afternoon and object to Quinn and Moira’s affair.
“Aside from the way they’re flaunting the fact that they are sleeping together? I would have expected a little discretion from someone Moira’s age!”
“It is hard to keep a secret on West Haven,” Robin defended Moira.
Cal finally realized that other people were listening to their conversation. He lowered his booming voice. “That hunter,” he spat the word. “Is taking advantage of your niece. She’s too infatuated and too innocent to see that he’s just using her.” He lowered his voice still further. “I went online. That bastard is engaged to a danged Muggle!”
Robin opened her eyes wide at him. She had often found this innocent expression useful. “Are you sure?”
“Yup!” Cal drained his glass as if it contained beer instead of bubbly. “You have to do something. It was bad enough when we thought it was just one of your pet artists sleeping with our Moira, but he’s one of those Drakes. He ought to know better.”
“What would you suggest?” Robin asked gently. “Moira is a grown woman, and has a right to a private life. I’m not sure that she will break things off just because the Council demands it.”
“Private,” said Cal as if it was an expletive. “If they want to break the rules, they get to pay the piper.”
Robin did not point out that his metaphor made no sense. She glanced around and judged that they had accumulated a sufficiently large audience. “Yes,” she prompted.
“And I told Anthony Drake so to his face,” he added.
“Told him what?” asked Robin. Across the room, Sully had heard his fill of Stella’s complaints. He appeared to have pointed out that all her paintings had sold stickers on them. He moved towards Robin.
Sully arrived at her elbow just as Cal made his revelation. “I told him that his money couldn’t buy him out of this scandal.”
“Oh, yes.”
“I told him that if Quinn didn’t marry Moira, we’d put his land title to a Council vote!”
“Did you now?” boomed Sully. “What did he say?” His eyes twinkled down at Robin.
“That brought him up short, I’ll tell you.” Cal tried to drink from his empty glass, and looked bewildered by its emptiness. “Never saw a fellow look more taken aback. He said he’d have a word with his son. I will say this for hunters, they keep control of their families. He’ll sort that boy into two piles. You’ll see. You can expect an announcement real soon.”
“Marriage?” said Sully as if the thought had never crossed his mind. “Between our Moira and a hunter?” He snorted. “A fling is one thing, but a marriage is forever. Dragons never let their wives go. No divorce if things don’t work out.”
“Moira has made her bed,” thundered Cal. “She can danged well lie in it. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Mildred Forster and Carmine Sutton both agree that it’s marriage, or we throw the Drakes off the island. Maybe Moira as well!”
“Exile seems a little harsh,” protested Robin. “But marriage? What if there are children?” She permitted herself a tiny frown.
Cal leaned forward. “By what I understand, that ain’t much of a risk. And if there are kids, the Drakes will bring `em up right.”
“Well,” said Robin, “It seems I am in your debt. It hadn’t occurred to me to tackle Anthony.”
“You remember that, next time we’re on separate sides of an issue,” Cal retorted. “You tell Moira that we’ll give her a week to set a date, or we’ll call the council together to vote on it. And be sure to tell her how the vote will go.”
“I’ll do that,” said Robin.
“I need a drink,” said Cal.
“The bar is still open,” Sully pointed out.
He and Robin watched Cal shoulder his way towards it. Sully nodded at her. “That makes six,” he said for her ears alone.
“If the Council is united in demanding a marriage,” said Robin piously, “We will have to put a little pressure on our niece.”
“Lorraine Drake thinks she and Quinn make a good couple.” Sully pitched his voice so that the folks around didn’t have to strain their flapping ears. “I have to say, I like the cut of his jib. Could be he’ll make our girl happy.”
“We will have to see that he does,” said Robin.