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political
enemies. They would question Sir Darius's fitness for
public office, with many a shake of their bewhiskered
heads.
    Lastly, Aubrey was determined to clean up his own
mess. It was a question of honour.
    With that in mind, he managed to slip into a troubled
sleep.

    A UBREY RESTED, MARKING TWO HOURS BY THE TOLLING OF the clock over the library. Refreshed, he opened his eyes
to see George slumped in the armchair asleep.
    Aubrey padded to his desk, his bare feet hardly making
a sound. He took some books from the bookshelves over
the desk and soon was lost in the world of arcane magical
research.
    Evening was drawing in when Aubrey heard a grunt
from George. He turned. 'Awake, I see. I thought I was
the one who needed the rest.'
    George rubbed his eyes and yawned. 'Well, I was the
only one who managed to carry a full kit back here.'
    Aubrey shrugged. 'Why should I carry all that gear
when someone's willing to do it for me?'
    George snorted. He stood, opened the curtains and
came to the desk. 'What on earth are you doing?'
    Aubrey held up his hand. Between his forefinger and
thumb were clamped a piece of glass and a copper penny.
'Experimenting. Mr Ellwood was rambling on about the
Law of Contiguity and I had a few ideas I wanted to
follow up.'
    George snorted again. 'I'm glad I'm not taking Magic
this year. Too taxing on the brain. I'll stick with Sport and
Music.'
    Aubrey glanced at his friend. 'You don't know what
contiguity is, do you?'
    George nodded and adopted an air of ancient wisdom.
'Of course I do. Contiguity. Closeness. Proximity.'
    Aubrey smiled. 'You continually surprise me, George.
Yes, that's what contiguity means. With the right spells,
a magician can invoke one of the variations of the Law
of Contiguity.' Deftly, he separated the two items and
held the coin in front of his eye. 'Look.'
    'Fascinating. A penny.'
    'I can see you, George.'
    George raised an eyebrow. 'You're looking through the
penny?'
    'The Law of Contiguity, in action,' Aubrey said. He was
pleased with himself. He hadn't been sure if his variations
on an approach he'd read about in an obscure tome
would work.
    'Ah,' George said. 'The coin and the glass were in
contact. Close proximity.'
    'Contiguous. That's right. Go on.'
    'And so, magically, the coin has become a little like
glass?'
    'Exactly!' Aubrey jumped to his feet and flung the
curtains wide. 'It cuts both ways, of course.'
    He held up the fragment of glass. Through it, the light
was decidedly coppery. George took it from his hand and
stared at it. 'So, with some effort we can have transparent
metals?'
    Aubrey threw his hands in the air. 'George, don't be so
straightforward. If the Laws of Contiguity can be properly
fathomed and codified, the possibilities are endless.'
    'Well, that's all very good.' George looked away.
    'Yes? You have something to say?'
    'Today's little spectacle on the Hummocks isn't going
to impress your grandmother, is it?'
    Aubrey made a face. 'I'm not worried about her
reaction.' It wasn't a lie. He didn't have to worry about
her reaction. He knew what it would be.
    'You must be the only one in the entire country
who isn't.'
    'I'm more concerned about my father.'
    'He won't say anything, will he?'
    'That's the problem,' Aubrey muttered. He glared at
the window, not seeing the view of the ivy-covered
library.
    Aubrey readily admitted – to himself – how difficult it
was to be Sir Darius Fitzwilliam's son. His father being
one of the most prominent men in the country, a war
hero and former Prime Minister, meant that Aubrey had
much to live up to. Everywhere he went he was faced
with expectations and people who wanted to measure
him against the great man.
    'You know how it is, George. I want to please him, but
I end up disappointing him. Not that he'd say anything.
It'd be the "Gallant try, Aubrey" speech.'
    'Awkward, that.'
    'Indeed.' Aubrey sprang out of the chair and grinned.
'And tonight you'll see just how awkward it is.'
    'Tonight?' George frowned.
    'When