Cassie, Wolfe and the Countess ca out to et them right after Ella left the carriage, accompanied by a pair of maids with trays full of food.
The Countess smiled at them, her childish dimples making her look like a little girl playing dress up. "We thought that you might have escaped the hotel without eating breakfast, so we brought so out for a al on the patio. Please, co and sit before it gets cold."
Ella took her seat, and the Countess motioned for Cassie and Molly to join them.
"It's been a long ti since I ate separately from anyone, please have a seat. Besides, from what I have learned, you two aren't normal servants, are you? You should both be magic users, which would make you, at the very least, minor Ladies." The Countess inford them.
Stephanie ca over to give the Countess a hug. "I like people who can see the value in others. Perhaps we can help your estate a little bit as we travel. Despite my current appearance, I am a rather accomplished magician."
Then it occurred to Stephanie that they were no longer in the Lowest Planes, and the restriction on her changing back should be lifted. So, she decided to show off and beco herself again.
But after breakfast because that slled amazing.
There was a spiced oatal, with fresh milk from the farms, fruit, toast, biscuits with sausage gravy, fried ham slices and, as Stephanie had hoped, plenty of tea. As a cat, she didn't get to drink much tea, and didn't really crave it, as it didn't taste the sa, but as a human, she had always loved a good herbal tea.
Once the al was finished, and everyone had a chance to freshen up for a trip, they returned to the patio, and Stephanie reactivated the dormant Familiar Cat spell. It had taken all of her talents to keep the essentials of that spell active when her body was cleansed of curses, and Countess Dewinter gasped as she turned from a girl into a small black kitten, only half grown.
Stephanie looked at herself, confused by the change in sizes, and then hopped onto Wolfe's shoulder anyhow, ready for a nice nap while Wolfe carried her to the farms where she could show her appreciation by casting a bit of magic.
Wolfe chuckled at the expression on the Countess' face. "She's like that. If she doesn't absolutely need to human, she prefers to be a cat."
The Countess giggled and covered her mouth. "I can't say that I bla her. The life of a cat looks rather relaxing."
The Butler did his best not to look utterly stunned by this bit of magic as he summoned a stable hand to drive the carriage, while he would remain here to welco any guests who arrived before the carriage returned.
They weren't going far, the whole loop would be less than ten kilotres over well-developed roads, but it would still take them a few hours at least, possibly more if they stopped in to see how production at the plants was going.
The carriage rolled out of the gates and headed for the city limits, but only made it a few blocks before they were flagged down by a carriage coming the other way.
A middle-aged man with a young adult stepped out, and the Countess' face took on an expression sowhere between rage and disgust.
Wolfe adjusted [Detect Hidden] and realized that despite the clothing, the younger Noble in front of them was not a man, at least, not truly. It was a woman in a disguise spell, with a middle Rank Two magical aptitude.
The Genders didn't matter to the human magical technique, so it wouldn't be obvious at first, but their approach made it clear that this older man was trying to pass her off as a son for a marriage proposal.
"Let take care of this. I think that I know just the way to stop them for good, but it might involve letting them co on the tour." Wolfe whispered.
The Countess just nodded, not trusting herself to speak at the mont until she gathered her wits.
"Good morning, Duke Roth, wasn't it? I believe that I t your son last night." Wolfe greeted them through the window of the carriage.
The two paused, startled that there was anyone else in the carriage. The Duke himself hadn't been in town for the event last night, and Wolfe wouldn't have even known his na if it wasn't written on the carriage, but he did vaguely recall soone with that na from the previous evening.
"That would be my nephew, Sir. I had not known that you would be with the Countess this morning, my apologies for holding up your endeavour." The Duke replied.
"Hardly a bother. We're just on a tour of the estates, as we have made a deal to do so magical improvents. Would you care to join us?" Wolfe replied.
The Duke smiled and gave Wolfe a formal bow. "It would be our honour to accompany you. I will send our servants on to complete their morning duties, and we will join you in the carriage."
Molly smirked and took the opportunity to escape out the other door and join the driver up on the front platform of the carriage, leaving the others to deal with the chaos inside.
From her point of view, this was a Wolfe problem, not a Molly problem. He could take care of it without her.
The orders were quickly given, and the two new mbers joined them in the carriage, with the two new arrivals sitting to either side of Wolfe, as Cassie and Ella had taken protective seats on either side of the Countess, filling that bench of the carriage.
The carriage started to move, and Wolfe placed a hand on the inner thigh of the Duke's disguised daughter beside him.
"I must say, Duke Roth, you have been blessed with a beautiful family, but I do have an aversion to disguise spells. You wouldn't mind if we all used our own appearance, would you?" He asked as the girl did her best to hide her panic.
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