A Scholar of Magics by Caroline Stevermer Page A

only the softest of clicks and whirrs to accompany the stately motion of the model.
    â€œWhat?”
    Jane watched the planets slow. “Glasscastle stays unchanged while England spins around it, the British Empire spins around England, and the rest of the world spins around the British Empire.” The planets stopped.
    Lambert tried to decide if Jane were serious or not. “That’s an exaggerated view of the importance of England, don’t you think?”

    â€œBut not of Glasscastle?” From Jane’s expression, she was only serious about hearing Lambert’s reaction.
    Lambert hesitated. “Well, Glasscastle is part of England, after all.”
    â€œNo, it isn’t. Not really.” Jane gave the crank a more vigorous turn and the planets took up their smooth clockwork dance again. “The Fellows of Glasscastle ransomed it from the Crown at the Dissolution. Paid for the cost of the lead on the roofs and settled down in comfort and privacy to master the theory and practice of magic.”
    â€œThey aren’t just working for themselves.” Lambert wondered what Fell would make of Jane’s cynical reading of Glasscastle’s history. Mincemeat? Or would he have an even more satirical version? Probably. “They swear fealty to the Crown.”
    â€œDiplomatic to a fault. They give each new monarch a fresh bit of invention as a coronation gift. A microscope here, a telescope there. The Fellows of Glasscastle are loyal only to Glasscastle.”
    â€œThat’s not true. The Fellows of Glasscastle devote themselves to the advancement of human understanding.”
    â€œOh, yes. Of course.” Jane’s attention was entirely on the motion of the planetary model. She seemed amused by it. “Did you say a friend of yours works in this room?”
    â€œNicholas Fell. He’s going to be tolerably cross about this. He doesn’t like anyone disturbing his work and I’ve probably set him back six months just tidying up his papers.”
    â€œWhat is Fell working on? Do you know? Our friend in the bowler didn’t visit this room for nothing.” Jane lost interest in the orrery and leaned forward to make a cursory inspection
of the papers spread across the desk. “Is there anything that should be here that isn’t?”
    â€œI don’t know.” Lambert frowned at Jane. “Can we be sure that’s what really happened? The man comes in here, throws things on the floor, and leaves in a big hurry? Even if that’s what he really did, why ? What was he doing here?”
    â€œIs there anything here that shouldn’t be?” Jane seated herself behind the desk and began working through the papers in earnest. “What is your friend’s field of study? To judge from this, it looks like he makes clocks.”
    Mindful of the plans stuffed into his pocket, Lambert decided to ignore Jane’s first question for the time being. “History of magic. But for the past few months he’s abandoned his thesis completely to study the measurement of time.”
    â€œWhat kind of work is he doing?” Jane looked puzzled. “Physics?”
    Lambert shrugged. “Just—time. He’s interested in it.”
    The orrery ran down again and Jane frowned at the arrangement of the planets without seeming to see it. “That man in the bowler was looking for something—or he found it.”
    Lambert looked again at the surrounding mess and winced at the thought of what Fell would have to say. “We’d better report this.”
    â€œYou’re right. I shouldn’t have delayed you. I’ll wait here until you find the proper authority.” Jane went back to her careful examination of the papers.
    Lambert hesitated, then gave up on any attempt at tact. “Please come with me. I don’t think Fell would approve of me leaving you alone with his papers.”
    Jane looked surprised. “Why? What