Rose 3: Rose and the Magician's Mask by Webb Holly

Author:Webb, Holly [Webb, Holly]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781408312667
Publisher: Hachette Children's Books
Published: 2010-08-04T22:00:00+00:00

Lord Lynton did not put in an appearance at breakfast, so Mr Fountain and the children were able to discuss their plans, hushing themselves every time Francesco or the maids brought in another dish. Breakfast was the strangest combination of English and Venetian. Rose decided that she would not recommend that Mrs Jones imitated the kedgeree, which was made with something Mr Fountain thought might be octopus, instead of the usual smoked haddock. Rose mostly ate toast. She thought the raspberry jam was perfectly acceptable.

‘So Lord Lynton will take us to see the duke?’ Freddie asked, in a hoarse whisper.

‘No one can hear you,’ Gus pointed out. ‘We’re the only ones in the room, unless you think Gossamer has a spy concealed under the breakfast table.’ He reached out a claw to hook another piece of tentacle, and gulped at it enthusiastically. It hung over his mouth at the sides like a rubbery moustache.

‘Do you want mine?’ Freddie muttered, watching him disgustedly.

‘Later this morning.’ Mr Fountain nodded, magisterially ignoring Freddie. ‘Which is helpful. It could have been tricky to get an introduction otherwise, even with the king’s letters. Time-consuming, all that going through officials. Lynton says I should be able to talk to the duke directly. He thinks I’m mad of course, getting so upset about a mask.’

‘Didn’t you explain what it does?’ Rose asked.

Mr Fountain shrugged. ‘No. I just said that it was valuable, and the king wants it back. I thought the truth might send Lynton into an apoplexy. The duke is a magician, at least, and should understand how important it is. More than anyone else would, I should think. Although…’ He trailed off, sighing.

‘You think he might be involved?’ Gus said rather thickly, through Freddie’s octopus kedgeree.

‘He could be. We just don’t know.’ He stirred his odd-coloured tea, watching it swirl. ‘What perplexes me is why the duke would want to mix himself up with Gossamer at all. Why is he letting him stay in the city? And I don’t see why he would allow anyone to use the stolen mask at the ritual. He must know its history, what it could do! No, there must be something we don’t see. We need to tread very, very carefully. We can’t just wade in and demand that the duke hands over Gossamer and the mask. What if he wants it back, for a start? There’s an argument that it should never have left the city in the first place. But I’m sure he must be aware that Gossamer is in the city. Any magician as powerful as the duke is supposed to be should have sensed Gossamer’s presence.’ He gave a delicate little shudder. ‘I can feel the blackguard. Smell him, almost. And the mask.’

Rose nodded. She felt slightly sick, and she was sure it wasn’t because of the toast. They were getting closer.

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