The thralls began a garbled account of events since she had pa.s.sed out. Giving in to temptation, Simon laid his head on Meg's lap. His slow unicorn mind recognized that even though she was no longer virgin, he was drawn as irresistibly as the first time he'd seen her. Though the other two young women were probably virgins, they didn't attract him in the least. Let them find their own unicorns.

Meg listened gravely to the explanations as one hand delicately caressed Simon's ears. When Jemmy finished the story, she said, "So Drayton is gone. I suppose I should regret the loss of a life, but to be honest, it doesn't trouble me much, considering that he was willing to kill hundreds of men because they didn't fit into his own mad view of the world."

"That was my thought." Breeda's smile was a knife blade. "Though not in such pretty words."

Meg glanced at David, who was stirring. "Moses and Jemmy, can you take Mr. White back into the main church? Find him some water and stay with him until he's recovered. He's a lovely man, but it's best he not be exposed to more magic. Tell him a falling stone knocked him out when the earth shook."

With luck, David would remember nothing of what he had seen in the Lady Chapel. Meg sent a spell to encourage that as Moses and Jemmy lifted David, then carried him into the main sanctuary.

Turning to Lily and Breeda, Meg said, "Drayton is the one who inflicted the unicorn spell on Lord Falconer. In legend, virgins have great power over unicorns, and we found that a touch of my blood to his would return him to his natural form. Unfortunately, now that I am wed I can't do that." No need to mention that she'd only been a bride for an hour or two. "Will one of you share blood with him?"

"Of course," Lily said immediately. "Do you have a knife?"

Simon scrambled to his feet as Meg resorted to an earring wire for a quick stab into his shoulder, then Lily's finger. Gently Lily rubbed her finger against the wound in his shoulder. Blood met blood, and . . . nothing, no matter how hard Lily rubbed.

Grimly Meg realized that she had expected this. "Breeda, are you willing to try?"

The Irish girl flushed. "I'd slice my wrist with a dagger for his lordship, but I . . . I'm no virgin. I was ravished by a drunken soldier when I was thirteen."

No wonder the girl was so fierce. "If you don't mind, let's try it anyhow. You have the blood of a warrior, and perhaps that will help."

Another pinhole was p.r.i.c.ked in Simon's shoulder. He bore it stoically, but Breeda's blood was no more effective than Lily's.

"I'm sorry, my lady," the Irish girl said. "Is there anything else I might do?"

Meg shook her head. "I don't think so. Thank you for trying."

Simon began pacing restlessly around the chapel. He had regained his strength, and with it the unicorn wildness he feared. How long could he remain in unicorn form before he irrevocably lost his human nature? He'd already been transformed once today for the ride from Lady Bethany's. Time was running out, like the sands of an hourgla.s.s.

Lily asked, "Is there some other way to break the spell?"

"Apparently the only person who can break this sort of spell permanently is the person who created it," Meg said tightly. "Drayton."

Breeda looked stricken. "I didn't know, my lady."

"Don't blame yourself. Even if Drayton were alive, he would have died rather than lift the spell." Meg released her breath, trying to clear her mind. "When Falconer is in human form, it's possible for him to stay that way indefinitely as long as he doesn't lose his temper. But I don't know how to change him back."

"My lady, even if you're not a virgin, you are his wife. Perhaps your blood will still break the spell," Breeda suggested shyly.

It was a worthy idea, but didn't work. After admitting failure, Meg wiped the blood from Simon's shining flank, increasingly anxious. He was radiating nervous energy. If she hadn't sealed the door, she could take him outside. . . . No, that wouldn't be wise, not when over two hundred chattering mechanics and engineers were moving around the main chapel and outdoors. The magical shielding over the Lady Chapel was the only thing that gave them privacy here.

What had Simon once told her about the essence of magic? That it was will. She had used that advice, and her will had served her well.

Taking a deep breath, she walked up to Simon and caught his long head between her hands. "You are going to return to yourself, my lord husband. This marriage has just begun, and I will not let it end so soon."

As she spoke, she visualized Simon in human form. The height, the broad shoulders and long muscles, the shine of his blond hair. He was her friend, her lover, her mentor, and her husband. Hers. And she wanted him back.

Deliberately she sought the light-filled s.p.a.ce where she had channeled the ley lines and saved the chapel. Energy flowed from her, shimmering with the rich dark tones of the earth. This would always be part of her, she realized, even when she was far from a ley line. By surrendering to the earth energy, she had made it her own.

Return, beloved.

Under her hands, the elegant equine head began to change. Heat roiled outward. She skipped backwards, not wanting to interfere with his transformation. As Lily and Breeda gasped, Simon's form was blurred by raging energy.

The transformation moved more swiftly than usual, and in a few moments he was himself again, albeit sprawled naked on the cold stone floor. He managed an unsteady smile. "You've learned a new trick, my love."

"Thank G.o.d!" She dropped onto her knees beside him, tears of relief streaming down her face.

"Here, my lord." Lily lifted Simon's ripped coat from the floor and spread it over him, then tactfully withdrew. "Breeda, let's see how our lads are doing." Together they left the Lady Chapel for the main sanctuary.

After the younger women left, Simon exhaled roughly and wrapped an arm around Meg's waist so he could pull her down next to him. "How did you do that? For you are most certainly no longer virgin."

Laughing, she rested her head on his shoulder, so tired that even sitting up was too much effort. "I willed you to return yourself to your own form." She paused, startled, as she realized her body was refreshing itself from the earth energy around her. This could prove useful in the future. "I believe I can break this spell whenever it's needful. That's not as good as removing the spell altogether, but-good enough, I think." She grinned. "So if you lose your temper and grow a horn, I can bring you back again."

Simon looked thoughtful. "There was something rather splendid about being a unicorn. Because of the danger of being overwhelmed by the animal nature, it would be foolish to spend much time in that form. Yet . . . perhaps on rare occasions it would be . . . amusing to run free again. As long as you can restore me."

Meg kissed him on the forehead, right where the horn would be. "We must experiment with this. I would hate to lose my magnificent unicorn forever."

Simon smiled before turning serious. "Send someone to the main house to steal some clothing for me so I can sort out this technology forum. It's quite a good idea, after all, so it seems a pity to waste the opportunity. People can a.s.sume Drayton has gone back to London for some reason."

"And somehow, mysteriously, he will vanish on the way. Highwaymen, no doubt." Meg's gaze turned pensive. "Are all those inventors and mechanics and engineers going to change the world for better or worse?"

"Both," Simon said wryly. "We're on the verge of a great new age, my warrior maiden, and there will be pain and anger and disruption. Change hurts. But ultimately, this new age will benefit the great ma.s.s of people. There will be more education, more wealth, more choices for everyone. No longer will bright lads like Jemmy die in chimneys and girls like Breeda become maids because there are no other jobs for a poor farm girl. I can't see the whole shape of the future, but I do know that it will be a better one than if Drayton had his way."

"Good." Meg trailed her fingers through Simon's hair, wondering how long it would take him to get the forum on track. When the disruptions had been smoothed over and the mechanics and engineers given the chance to talk each others' ears off, she and Simon could go back to Lady Beth's and some privacy. A long, long night of privacy. "But since I'm no maid, I can't be your warrior maiden anymore."

"No matter." He laughed and drew her closer. "Now you're my warrior queen."

EPILOGUE.

Emma was bouncing in her carriage seat. "We're almost there!"

Meg was bouncing almost as much. "I recognize the stone bridge! The vicarage is just around the next bend!"

Simon smiled at the sisters. A week had pa.s.sed since the final confrontation with Drayton, and it had been a busy one. Soon Moses would take Lily back to Ma.r.s.eilles to his family, and to become his bride. Jemmy had decided to go with them. He wanted an education, and a chance to ride horses.

Breeda had sailed for Ireland to visit her family, but after that she would join the others in France. The bonds the four of them shared were too powerful for them to go their separate ways. Simon had already written a French Guardian he knew in Ma.r.s.eilles to continue the training of the former thralls.

David White had recovered from Drayton's attack with no damage, and no clear memory of what had happened. Later, though, when he had returned from the forum br.i.m.m.i.n.g with ideas, he had confided to Sarah that while he was unconscious he had flown through a tunnel of light. At the end he had found the pure radiance of G.o.d.

The Lord had given him the choice of staying in heaven or returning to earth. Of course he chose Sarah and his unborn child, because G.o.d would always be waiting. Simon learned the story from Sarah when she called to thank him privately for whatever he had done.

The carriage pulled up in front of the sunlit vicarage. Emma tumbled out without waiting for the guard to lower the steps for her. "Mama, Papa!"

Meg stepped out more slowly, yearning but nervous. Ten years was a long time. Simon climbed out last, thinking it best to stay in the background while the reunion took place. He was an outsider at a family's celebration.

"Emma! Meg!" Suddenly the yard was full of Harpers, two tall young men and the vicar and his wife, not to mention three dogs and several cats. A spaniel old enough to have a gray muzzle leaped at Meg with an ecstatic howl that seemed almost human.

"My darling girl!" Meg's mother embraced her, weeping. "I never believed you were dead, never. This last week while waiting for you to come home has been an eternity."

"Mama, Mama." Tears ran down Meg's face as she hugged her mother with breath-squeezing strength. "For so long I had thought I was alone. How could I have forgotten how blessed I am?"

The Harpers ended in one grand, untidy hug, happiness breaking down their reserve. Simon lingered by the carriage, trying to suppress an unworthy pang of envy as he observed the bonds of love connecting the Harpers. Even at its best, his family had never been so loving. Magic had its limits.

The vicar turned and offered his hand. "Forgive our rudeness, Lord Falconer, and please accept our grat.i.tude. You have given us a gift beyond price. For ten years, I believed my eldest child dead. I never dreamed that she would come home whole and alive and beautiful." He smiled wryly. "Not to mention a countess."

Simon returned the older man's handshake. "I'm sorry I was unable to ask you for your daughter's hand. We are well and truly wed now, but we hope that you will marry us again in front of all your friends and family. As soon as possible, for now that Meg remembers her family, she says she won't feel properly married until you have performed the sacrament."

"It will be my privilege." The vicar's gray green eyes, so like Meg's, were shrewd. "My daughter has chosen well."

Simon saw a spark of power in the older man, and guessed where at least some of the Harper magic came from.

Meg turned and took his arm, her smile radiant despite the tear tracks on her cheeks. "Come, my love, and meet your new family." As she drew him forward, Emma took his other arm.

Suddenly he wasn't an outsider after all.

In later years, near the ancient estate of the lords Falconer, there came to be tales of a mysterious white unicorn that sometimes rode through the night as fast as the wind. On his back he carried a fairy queen whose bright laughter and dark hair rippled through the darkness.

But, of course, they were only tales.

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

Though the term "scientist" wasn't coined until the 1830s, the eighteenth century was the Age of Enlightenment, and Western society teemed with theories, experiments, and lots of the Georgian equivalent of garage inventors. From this ferment of ideas and experiments grew the Industrial Revolution.

However, since I was tied to the 1740s because of the events of an earlier, related book, A Kiss of Fate, I fudged some of the allusions to inventions that appear in this story. David White's steam engine bears a remarkably strong resemblance to the Watts steam engine, which didn't come along until three decades later. The same is true for some of the famous spinning and weaving inventions, and the great age of ca.n.a.l building hadn't quite begun. But my portrait of an age of invention is real in spirit, if a trifle premature.

There really was a Royal Menagerie in the Tower of London from the thirteenth century until the 1830s, when the remaining animals were transferred to the new Regent's Park Zoo. The medieval collection began with royal gifts from foreign potentates, but over time it turned into a real crowd-pleaser. In the eighteenth century, the Tower of London was the city's biggest tourist draw, so much so that the phrase "going to see the lions" was shorthand for touring London.

The lions were extremely popular, and often a lion was named for the monarch. Some of these lions lived so long that one has to a.s.sume new lions were subst.i.tuted when old ones went to that great savannah in the sky. After all, one wouldn't want a lion named for the king to die prematurely-it made people start wondering how long the monarch would survive. Apparently there is nothing new about political spin!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR.

A lifelong reader of science fiction and fantasy, M. J. PUTNEY can still quote Robert Heinlein with no encouragement whatsoever. A graduate of Syracuse University with degrees in eighteenth-century literature and industrial design, she followed a peripatetic path to success as a writer. Now a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author, Putney has been a nine-time finalist in the Romance Writers of America RITA contests and has won two RITAs for her historical novels. Her books have been listed four times by the American Library a.s.sociation among the top five romances of the year. The chance, with Stolen Magic, to combine fantasy with her love of history and romance is an example of real-life magic in action. Visit the author's website at www.mjputney.com.

end.