She found Colin easily; he was head and shoulders above most people in the room. Definitely head and shoulders above the elderly lady standing beside him, holding his hand in a grip so strong, it looked like she was attempting to leech the youth, power and vitality out of the handsome man.
And when Marian saw him, she saw Colin’s golden aura was not as dim as the one that glittered in the air for it shown around him with nearly blinding clarity.
Marian smiled contentedly to herself and approached him as she thought with unsuppressed glee, Nearly there.
She was waylaid by the Godwins who were standing in line for tea.
“Mrs. Byrne! What a pleasure. I didn’t know you were coming tonight,” Marguerite Godwin greeted and kissed Marian’s cheek.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Marian informed the delightful woman she found (not surprisingly) she liked very much and accepted greetings from Albert and Scarlett.
Then Marian noted, eyes sliding to the tall man, “I see Colin has an admirer.”
“Ah yes, she latched onto him the minute we arrived and hasn’t left his side,” Marguerite explained while Albert placed their tea orders, thoughtfully adding one for Marian.
“How are… things?” Marian asked even though she didn’t need to after her glance at Colin. She turned her attention to him again and saw him dip his head politely to listen to whatever the older lady was telling him.
He was relaxed and at ease, seeming in his element casually wearing his expensive suit and standing in the decrepit, old Hall. Colin Morgan seemed to own every space he occupied, she knew, but since Marian met him, he’d always been coiled as tight as a spring. Now he seemed content.
“Things are brilliant,” Mags enthused, putting Marian’s thoughts into words, adding. “Sibyl’s around somewhere but she’s crazy busy.”
It was then, as if on cue, Sibyl entered the Hall through sliding doors at the side. Wearing a wraparound, red dress that hugged her generous curves, a pair of open-toed, black high heels, her hair pulled back in a clip at the nape of her neck, she approached Colin.
Her aura was different, astoundingly so. It was golden but shot with white hot sparks some of which glittered nearly blue.
Marian felt the world come closer together.
Sibyl Godwin was in love.
Deeply, truly, completely in love.
She reached Colin and the intensity of her aura, although it seemed impossible, deepened. Marian thought it could almost singe a person if they came too close.
But it didn’t affect Colin. He pulled her to him with a strong arm and smiled down at her upturned face with a warmth so unguarded it nearly made him seem boyish.
Marian heart sang with delight even as she felt almost embarrassed watching them.
Then she accepted her tea and biscuit from Albert and they moved across the Hall toward Colin and Sibyl.
“Mrs. Byrne!” Sibyl cried and detached herself from Colin’s arm to give Marian a brief but strong embrace. “I’m so glad you came.”
Marian smiled dotingly on the pair.
It would take the force of more than one dark soul to cross these two, in that joyous moment, Marian felt sure of it.
Unfortunately, as her many-greats-Grandmother Esmeralda was nearly five hundred years before her, Marian didn’t know it, but she was terribly wrong.
Sibyl introduced everyone to Mrs. Griffith who, throughout this, did not drop Colin’s hand.
“Mrs. Griffith, what a delight,” Mags remarked after the introductions.
“Did you get my letters?” Mrs. Griffith barked to Sibyl’s mother, a severe tone that mildly surprised Marian but which made Mags grin.
But Sibyl started then stared at her mother. “Letters?”
“All six of them,” Mags assured the old lady, ignoring her daughter’s question.
“Did you get the letter about this one?” Mrs. Griffith queried abruptly, swinging her cane dangerously to indicate Colin, its unsteady arc coming so close to him he had to swiftly lean back to avoid it smashing into his jaw.
“I did indeed,” Mags replied.
“Mrs. Griffith, what did you do?” Sibyl turned her attention to the older woman.
“Well, I approved, of course. And not just because you’re both sickeningly good-looking.” Then she turned to confide in Colin, “You are remarkably handsome, my boy, but don’t let it go to your head. Nothing’s worse than a conceited man.” Colin’s lips twitched at her blunt advice as Mrs. Griffith turned back to Sibyl and stated, “His minibus tirade was too good not to share.”
Sibyl closed her eyes slowly and one could practically hear her mentally counting to ten. When she opened them, she glowered at her mother. “You could have said something.”
“Do I need to tell you everything?” Mags countered.
Marian noted that Colin seemed unaffected by all of this except, perhaps, to look mildly amused.
“Well, I approve too, Mrs. Griffith.” Scarlett threw in her lot. “He’s a shocking chauvinist and unrepentantly bourgeois but he’ll do.”
“That’s what I thought. Not about the chauvy-and-bourgie-whatsit, don’t know a thing about that, but he’ll do,” Mrs. Griffith agreed and then giggled like a schoolgirl.
Sibyl emitted a frustrated noise then announced, “I need to go backstage.”
At this, Mrs. Griffith announced, “And we need to find seats, the good ones are mostly taken, so…” she turned to Colin, “you might have to throw your weight around.” Then she shifted slowly, indicating her intent to move while proclaiming as if she was bestowing a great honour, “Now, you may escort me to our seats.”
“Lead the way,” Colin murmured politely but stopped and turned when Sibyl’s hand landed lightly on his arm and then she went up on her toes to touch her lips against his.
“I’ll see you after,” she whispered, he nodded and then allowed himself to be led away by the older woman as Sibyl disappeared between the sliding doors.
“Watching them, you almost feel like a voyeur and she’d barely kissed him,” Marian heard Bertie mutter to himself.
Marian didn’t respond for at that instant she felt an ice-cold thrill go down her spine and her head shot up.
“No,” she whispered, not wishing to believe it.
“What’s that?” Bertie asked, he had taken her by the elbow and was showing her to a seat.
She gently pulled her arm away, hid her concern and smiled at Sibyl’s father. “I need to see to something. I’ll only be away a moment.”