A Marvellous Light

Edwin, now the point-of-view character, discovers that Robin is at ease in company. Edwin is unhappier than usual: Because his family is magically bonded to the estate, even the land knows he lacks power. As though to echo the theme, His brother, Walter, usually called Walt, suggests that Reggie Gatling disappeared because he could not face his lack of magic. Edwin’s father responds that sons like Reggie are a tragedy. Edwin blushes, and Billy—whose magic is also weak—looks at him sympathetically from across the table.

Walt, needling Edwin, asks Robin if he and Reggie were friendly, saying, “[S]ad to say some people never get the knack of friendship, but you don’t strike me as that sort” (78). Edwin reluctantly corrects his brother’s assumption that Robin is from a magical family, leading to shocked bemusement around the table at the novelty of a nonmagical visitor. Edwin conceals their agenda and the existence of the curse.

After dinner, Edwin tries to retreat to see his mother alone. Robin says he would like to meet his hostess, but senses Edwin’s discomfort and asks if his mother is gravely ill. Edwin reluctantly accepts that Robin’s interest is likely genuine and agrees to introduce him to his mother. Robin’s exhaustion is apparent, and Edwin tries to fight the sympathy and attraction he feels. Robin charms Edwin’s mother with his interest in her decorative choices.

After Robin leaves, Edwin confides to his mother that the real purpose of his visit is to enlist the family’s help in removing Robin’s curse, and his mother accepts that he will give Robin lethe-mint once the curse is resolved. After he rejoins Robin, Edwin pre-empts his questions, explaining that his mother’s disability is a form of arthritis. As they walk in the hall, Robin suddenly slumps over. Edwin demands an explanation, and Robin says he had a vision of a hedge maze on another estate, and that this is not his first strange vision.

Edwin becomes angry at Robin’s attempt at secrecy. Robin reminds him that the only other magical people he knows are the men who kidnapped and cursed him, so trusting Edwin would be naive. Edwin realizes Robin is frightened and resolves to end their predicament and any sexual temptation by removing the curse.

Robin has breakfast, struck by the casual use of magic during the meal. He finds Walt’s absence a relief, as something about his dominant personality is unnerving. At Charlie’s insistence, Robin agrees to go boating with the group later, then retreats to find Edwin.

Robin is stunned by the massive library and struck by how relaxed Edwin seems in a space where he truly is at home. Robin draws his vision, which turns out to depict the Barrel, the headquarters of the Magical Assembly, where he has never been. He also describes his vision of Hawthorn. Edwin suspects that Robin has the ability to see the future—a rare and understudied phenomenon even among magicians.

Edwin recites various sequences of Greek letters and numbers, explaining that he has devised his own card catalogue and put spells on the books to come in response to it. Robin tells Edwin, “I think yours is probably the kind of brain that could run a country” (95), and Edwin is surprised by the admiration. At Robin’s request, Edwin summons him some less dense reading material. Robin notices Edwin is fatigued, and he reluctantly explains he is out of magic, and that his use of string is also a sign of magical weakness. Robin reads a book of folktales, watching Edwin pace the room.

Robin is briefly attacked by the curse but drawn into a folktale that reports a story of the Last Contract and three magical objects that comprise it—a cup, a knife, and a coin. The contract, between fairies and Britain’s magical families, is the origin of modern magic. One of the housecats approaches Edwin, and Robin feels newly attracted to Edwin’s quiet ease as he smiles at the cat. Robin shows Edwin the story he found, positing that it might be true. Edwin admits that most cultures have stories about the origins of magic. Edwin tells Robin he can reveal the curse to the household, but that revealing his gift of foresight would enmesh him in magical society, likely including scrutiny at the highest levels of the Magical Assembly.

While distracted, Robin accidentally knocks over a row of books, discovering one with a hidden recess that holds another book. Robin recognizes the cover as a work of gay erotica. Before they can discuss the plot, they are interrupted by Billy. Robin feels less discomfort with Edwin now, thanks to “this awareness of their common nature—in a way that had nothing whatsoever to do with magic” (102).

Edwin and Robin walk to the lake. Robin notices that Edwin is unhappy, and Edwin explains that the estate has always looked down on him due to his magical weakness. Robin admits that he is uneasy at his own family’s country home. Edwin, the point-of-view character, reminds himself that even though he is pleased to discover that Robin is gay, he cannot become romantically involved with him.

The party begins a boating scavenger hunt, where floating lilies on the lake contain traps or prizes. Edwin admires Robin’s skill in a boat compared to his own awkwardness and notices him having a vision. In a playful moment, Edwin tips Robin into the water, inadvertently coming across as flirtatious when he offers to warm Robin up with a spell. Edwin begins to enjoy the day.

One spell causes Robin to fight off a swarm of birds, but his laughter gives way to panic when a storm of swans knocks him into the water and he begins drowning. Edwin feels the estate’s magic urging him to save a guest. He dives in after Robin. Once they are helped by the others, Robin explains to Edwin that he somehow lost the use of his lower limbs. When Robin is in the throes of another attack, Edwin reluctantly explains the curse to the others. Edwin worries the near-drowning may indicate a deeper plot. Edwin tries to call on the estate’s magic, with minimal success, but assures Penhallick he will help Robin.

Robin, now the point-of-view character, spends the afternoon with Belinda and the others, trying to pretend he is at a mundane house party. He admits this is difficult not only because of magic, but also the “undercurrent of casual, unthinking malice to the conversation whenever it turned to other people” (115). He sleeps poorly and has nightmares.

The next morning, he avoids the others to wait for Edwin. He is struck again by his attraction to Edwin, but he respects his reserve. When he finds Edwin, he convinces him to remove the curse, betraying his exhaustion and fear. Edwin admits that his reluctance to begin is unfair, as Robin deserves relief. Robin says he trusts him to do the spell, but Edwin tells him he will supervise Charlie, who has the necessary power.

In the library, Edwin asks how Robin is doing, and he admits, unexpectedly, “I’ve never been the butt of the joke before” (118). When Edwin asks if that meant he was usually the tormentor, Robin admits that he rarely stood up for others, but he now finds such tacit intimidation distasteful. Inwardly, he reflects that his parents were no different from his physically cruel peers. Edwin explains that his brother was particularly fond of spells as a means of bullying, and that magical education takes place outside traditional school. As they work, Robin is still distracted by his attraction to Edwin.

After lunch, Edwin and Robin ask Charlie to help with the curse removal. Billy suggests the world would be better if others could borrow Charlie’s power, but Charlie dislikes the idea and points out its impossibility. Edwin explains to Robin that power transfer is too unwieldy for most magical contracts. Miggs reminds the group, somewhat cruelly, that sometimes the only path to curse removal is death. Robin asks for privacy, and the others leave.

Edwin explains the spell he has theorized. When Charlie attempts the final step, Robin realizes he is screaming and briefly loses consciousness. Edwin, defeated, realizes his efforts have expanded the curse. Robin insists he would still prefer Edwin’s help to the scrutiny of magic officialdom, and Edwin tells him, “You say you don’t want to be protected. I say you don’t have to be careful of my feelings” (129). Robin does not answer, fearful of betraying his growing feelings. The curse strikes again when he tries to rest.

At dinner that evening, Edwin notices that Robin is tense about the curse. Edwin feels warmth when Robin’s compliments make his mother smile, but also envy of his social grace. Billy and Charlie turn back to debating the benefits of magical power transfer. Trudie, with help from Belinda, brings up the tragedy of the Alston family: Jack Alston lost his power, and his twin sister died by suicide after they experimented with power transfer. (Jack’s reckoning with his losses is the subject of the final book in the trilogy, A Power Unbound.)

Robin is eager to change the subject. After a discussion of magical children born to nonmagical parents, Robin asks if magic is usually at the center of people’s professional lives, but the others explain that it is usually not efficient for most fields, which is why Edwin’s father is in business. Trudie cruelly brings up one of Billy’s prior relationships, which ended when the woman’s family objected to his minimal magic.

To avoid more gossip, Robin asks about the area. Edwin’s mother mentions the gardens at a nearby estate, Sutton Cottage. Robin remembers that Reggie Gatling had recently received a letter from a Flora Sutton. Mrs. Courcey confirms they were related, and others mention the estate’s hedge maze. After dinner, Robin suggests they visit there, and Edwin realizes the maze was in a vision.

The narrative shifts to Robin, who is beginning to realize the depth of Edwin’s unhappiness at Penhallick. He finds the others amusing each other by conjuring elaborate illusions—Charlie has just placed a car in the room. Robin ignores them and finds Edwin in a corner, reading. They companionably smoke together. Edwin notices Robin’s awe at Charlie’s conjured carousel and says that the others find him interesting because “being pleasant and sociable and unimpressed is not the usual response to an unbusheling” (143). Robin has another set of visions. He sees a clock shop and an elderly woman felled by a spell. (The first vision will occur later in the novel, while the second is part of its sequel, A Restless Truth.)

To help Robin hide the vision, Edwin ushers him out to a quieter parlor and makes him tea. Robin asks about Elsie Hawthorn and comforts Edwin when he expresses outrage at the others blaming her for her tragic death. Robin, nearly overcome with feeling, thanks Edwin for his steady presence. Edwin does not accept the compliment due to the danger Robin still faces and his family’s casual cruelty. Robin is tempted to speak more of his feelings, seeing them as “their own cradles of magic, the desire to transform one thing into another. And what if the magic went awry?” (148). Instead, he assures Edwin he will continue their quest.

Robin drives the Courcey family car, with a nervous Edwin, the point-of-view character, as his passenger. When Edwin expresses concern for Reggie, Robin asks if they are a couple. Edwin assures him that Reggie is not interested in men. Robin tentatively asks about Hawthorn, and Edwin briefly describes their prior relationship. Robin says he has had only brief romantic encounters, as he fears the legal and social risks that come with being gay—epitomized by Oscar Wilde’s recent trial, when the writer’s sexuality was made public and he was imprisoned. Edwin is both drawn to Robin and fearful of emotional pain.

As they approach the estate, Edwin expresses an irrational desire to turn back. He recovers once they cross an arboreal boundary. Edwin realizes it is a massive barrier spell and is fascinated, especially as others seem to visit the grounds unaffected. When they enter the house, the butler tries to dissuade them, but they are admitted after mentioning Reggie’s name.

Edwin notices that Mrs. Sutton looks elderly and frail, but he is also struck by her obvious intelligence. When Flora tries to persuade them to leave, Robin is uncharacteristically forceful in his refusal and shows her his arm. Flora Sutton admits that she wrote to Reggie to ask about the object he left with. Edwin is surprised anyone could have found the estate or the missing object, as other search methods seem useless. She has Edwin bring her a fossil for use as an illustration: Significant powerful objects leave traces of their presence, like fossilized prints. Edwin is further fascinated when Flora Sutton references her house’s magical geography—magic tied to specific places is not popular in England. Flora Sutton derides English magicians, specifically men, for insisting on their contract-based system.

Flora explains further that Reggie discovered that people were searching for the magical object within the house. Edwin is horrified when he learns that she performed a secret bind so that Reggie would never be able to reveal more about it. When pressed, Flora admits, “I did suspect people would start to die” (160). Cryptically alluding to a larger group of friends, she explains that they discovered the Last Contract only accidentally, and then strove to hide its existence forever. She apologizes for Robin’s plight but remains determined to explain little.

Edwin asks about the spell he feels on the grounds. Mrs. Sutton explains that the spell is aimed at magicians—Edwin was only able to enter because of his relative lack of power. She summons her glasses to her using a gesture Edwin cannot read, piquing his curiosity. Flora confuses Edwin when she alludes to his magical potential, placing her hands to his face. She explains she grew the boundary spell with the trees, as moments of origin, like moments of near-death, are best for drawing power. Flora sends them to tour the grounds while she does more research. She warns Edwin that the maze could kill him, as it was originally designed to protect the Last Contract from magicians.

Edwin feels ill from the maze’s power. While Robin is inside it, Edwin is struck by an unknown assailant, who wears a mask like the men who cursed Robin. The unknown man (later revealed to be Edwin’s brother) is briefly ensnared in the maze. He breaks free, only to hurl Edwin inside. Edwin sees the maze entrance beginning to close and tries to order Robin to follow the man. Robin joins Edwin rather than escaping.

The point of view switches to Robin, who is relieved that Edwin is well enough to be furious at him for staying. Edwin suggests that Flora’s bond with her land will alert her to their plight. The plants begin to attack again, and Robin sees the moment from his vision.

When Edwin is uncertain what magic to try, as burning down the hedge will be difficult, Robin reminds him he can enchant the plants to be drier, like kindling, and that he has a cigarette lighter. They run through a hole Edwin burns in the hedge and arrive at a statue, which they suspect once held the contract. The maze continues to grow around them. When Edwin suggests that the land will keep Robin safe, Robin tells Edwin to claim a section of the maze as his, to protect them both. Edwin, in a panic, nearly forgets the spell, but Robin assures him, “you’ve read everything. You know this” (178). Using blood from his wounds, Edwin pledges himself to the estate, begging it for help on Robin’s behalf. Suddenly, the crowding plants diminish.

As they leave the maze, both men are near hysterical from the relief, as Edwin declares, “I can’t believe we were almost killed by a hedge” (180). They joke and share hysterical laughter as Robin embraces Edwin to keep him from falling. As Robin is increasingly certain they will kiss, they hear a scream from nearby, breaking the moment.

Robin and Edwin return to the estate, where a stunned footman explains that something is wrong. They find Flora dead. Edwin takes in her face, thinking that the expression “had an edge Edwin would almost call triumphant” (183). The housekeeper, clearly in search of an authority figure, calms somewhat when she recognizes Edwin’s surname. Edwin realizes that Flora likely used her magic to die by suicide rather than give the masked man what he sought.

Robin notices a necklace with a floral charm on the body, but he cannot touch it. Edwin grasps it easily, feeling it directing him to something. The staff do not explain what he notices. Edwin puts the charm on the surface of the mirror, inspired by the hidden room in the magical bookshop he frequents. He finds a hidden study, full of magical reference works. The maid nearly laughs when Edwin says he will purchase the library. The butler tactfully asks if Edwin might be a relative, explaining that the study only responds to those who belong to the house. The maid tells Edwin to make contact with the mirror. He sees his reflection with Flora Sutton’s handprints on his cheeks. He realizes that Flora’s gesture, along with his pledge in the maze, have made the estate claim him. When Robin demands an explanation, Edwin, pretending flippancy, says, “nothing of consequence […] I’ve merely inherited one of the oldest magical estates in Cambridgeshire” (190).

Edwin, still the point-of-view character, is overwhelmed by the current of connection he feels with Sutton. Privately, he feels an unworthy heir, especially compared to Robin, who “knew how to be nice to people, to make them feel appreciated” (192).

Robin enters and asks Edwin if he finally appreciates Robin’s rescue effort. Edwin denies it, but soon kisses Robin passionately. As they begin to have sex, Edwin tries to hold back the intense passion he feels, knowing it betrays the depth of his longing. Afterward, Robin tells him the house responded to Edwin’s pleasure. Edwin struggles to face his “ludicrous ignorance on the usual sequelae when one was having fantastic sex on a magical estate” (201). Edwin tries to remind himself that he is working to free Robin from his curse and must still remove his memories.

The point of view switches to Robin, overwhelmed by the passion he has just experienced. He flirtatiously apologizes for not noticing Edwin’s appeal sooner. Edwin, tersely amused, says, “whereas I am neither blind nor an idiot” (203), charming Robin with the compliment. They light a fire and talk in bed. The two try to puzzle out how their attacker could have followed them and entered the estate, since presumably he was a magician. Edwin realizes that the curse may function as a sort of homing device. Edwin explains his theory that Flora Sutton died rather than betray her cause.

When Robin reveals that he is learning to detect oncoming visions, Edwin urges him to try to have one deliberately. Robin ends up nearly hyperventilating. Edwin is contrite, and Robin thinks of his sister, suddenly feeling guilty for leaving her alone. Robin tries to initiate oral sex, but Edwin insists Robin be the receiving partner. Robin is soon overwhelmed by passion.